Historical  Address 


DELIVERED  IX  THE 


CONGREGATIONAL.     CHURCH, 

OF 

NE^V    CANAAN,  CONN., 

JULY  4th,   1876. 
Sy  ftoi.    ^lxI^Xld  ^t.  jolni. 

WITH  AN  APPENDIX  OF  VALUABLE  HISTORICAL  INFORMATION  COMPRISING  A  LIST 
OF  THE  TOWN    CLERKS,   THE  SEI,ECTMEN,   THE  .POSTMASTERS.   THE    REPRE- 
SENTATIVES, FROM  THE   ORGANIZATION  OF  THE   TOWN   IN  J  HOI.    ALSO    A 
LIST  OF  SOLDIERS   WHO  SERVED  IN  THE   WAR  FOR    THE    UNION.    AND 
AN  OBITUARY   OF  PROF.  ST.  .lOHN.    RESOLUTIONS.  ETC. 


1876  : 
NEW  CANAAN,  CONN. 


WM.  W.  GILLESPIE  \-  CO. 

PRINTERS. 

STAMFORD.  CONN. 


PREFACE. 


Sometime  in  the  month  of  March  last,  several  gen- 
tlemen addressed  the  following  letter  to  Professor  St. 
John  : 

Dear  Sir: 

The  undersigned,  your  neighbors  and  friends,  tirmly 
believing  there  are  many  incidents  connected  with  the  organization 
and  history  of  our  town  and  its  inhabitants,  that  deserve  to  be 
gathered  up  and  preserved  in  some  permanent  form,  and  that  this 
Centennial  year  of  om-  Country's  History  is  pre-eminently  the  time 
for  it  to  be  done  ;  and,  furthermore,  that  you  are  of  all  others,  the 
proper  person  to  perform  this  duty,  do  earnestly  ask  you  to  under- 
take the  task,  and  deliver  the  same  in  a  public  address  on  the  4th 
of  July  next,  or  at  any  other  time  if  more  convenient  to  yourself, 
with  a  view  to  its  publication  afterwards. 

Very  RespectfuDy, 

WATTS  COMSTOCK, 
STEPHEN  HOYT, 
EBENEZER  J    RICHARDS, 
SAME.  K.  LOCKWOOD, 
JAMES  M.  CARROLL, 
A.  S.  COMSTOCK, 

and  others. 

The  above  letter  was  first  suggested  by  the  Presi- 
dent's proclamation  which  was  issued  previously,  recom- 
mending that  some  suitable  history  be  written  of  each 
town  in  the  United  States  during  the  Centennial  year. 


And  at  tlio  session  of  the  Legislature  of  our  own 
State,  in  ATay,  the  foHowino-  resolution  was  adopted  : 

Jit'.'ioln'(f  III/  (his  .issciiihli/,  That  the  jjeople  of  the  several  towns 
in  this  State,  be  earnestly  recommended  to  make  immediate  ar- 
raii^eiiu'iits  foi-.  and  to  properly  celebrate  the  coming"  Centennial 
Foiu'th  of  July  in  their  several  towns,  and  to  take  action  at  that 
time  in  regard  to  the  prej^aration  of  statistics  of  revolutionary  and 
Centennial  HistoiT,  as  suggested  in  the  Governor's  Message . 

Xo  man  nun-e  truly  desired  that  these  suo-o-ostions 
should  be  carried  out,  so  far  as  New  Canaan  Ayas  concern- 
ed, than  Prof.  St.  John,  but  with  that  modesty  so  char- 
acteristic of  the  man,  for  some  time  he  hesitated  to  under- 
take the  matter  himself,  for  fear  he  should  be  interfer- 
ing with  the  prerogative  of  some  other  man  or  men.  and 
only  after  the  most  positive  assurance  that  no  othei- 
name  but  his  had  been  suggested  by  anybody,  and  tliat 
no  other  person  would  attempt  tlie  duty  if  he  would 
consent,  he  gave  liis  promise  to  com]»ly. 

How  well  and  faitldully  he  performed  that  duty,  the 
unanimous  apj)r()val  of  the  multitude  Avho  thronged 
around  him  on  the  day  of  its  deliveiy.  and  the  contents 
of  the  following  pages  fully  attest. 

It  was  to  jiim  most  emphatically  a  labor  of  love  :  his 
devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  his  native  town  was 
unbounded,  and  the  manner  in  wliich  lie  has  attested 
that  love  during  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life,  is 
known  and  read  of  all  men. 

He  has  given  fully  and  bountifuny  of  his  best  intellec- 
tual efforts  for  our  instruction  and  mental  delight,  he  has 
given  as  freely,  and  bountifully  of  his  time  and  sub- 
stance to  pi'omote  our  material  interests,  by  night  and  by 


day,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  at  the  expense  of  life 
and  health  even,  he  has  most  truly  "done  what  he 
(3ould.'" 

It  would  be  hard  to  find  any  man  who  has  more  truly 
exemplified  the  life  of  Him.  who  while  on  earth,  "went 
about  doing  good." 

May  we  emulate  his  virtues  and  treasure  his  memo- 
ry as  a  sacred  shrine. 


ADDRESS. 

Fellow  Citizens  : 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  our  Na- 
tional and  State  authorities,  we  are  assembled  to  cele- 
brate the  anniversary  of  our  Nation's  birth  ;  and  also  to 
garner  up  the  scattered  memorials  of  our  early  local 
history.  Of  memorable  events,  few  awaken  a  more 
lively  curiosity  than  the  origin  of  communities.  Whence 
we  sprung,  at  what  period,  under  what  circumstances, 
and  for  what  object,  are  inquiries  so  natural  that  they 
rise  almost  spontaneously  in  our  minds  ;  and  scarcely 
less  so  in  the  humblest  than  in  the  most  exalted  of  so- 
ciety. They  are  intimately  connected  with  our  charac- 
ter, our  hopes  and  our  destiny.  Nor  is  this  strong  pro- 
pensity of  our  nature  attributable  to  the  indulgence  of 
mere  personal  vanity.  It  has  a  nobler  origin  ;  it  is 
closely  interwoven  with  that  reverence  and  affection, 
with  which  we  regard  our  parents  and  the  patriarchs  of 
our  own  times  ;  with  that  gratitude  with  which  we  follow 
the  benefactors  of  our  race,  and  with  that  sympathy 
which  links  our  fate  with  that  of  past  and  future  gener- 
ations.    Let  us  strive  then,  to  gather  up  the  fragments 


8 

of  our  local  history,  as  records  or  tradition  liave  preser- 
ved them,  and  extract  from  remote  events  that  instruc- 
tion which  the  vicissitudes  of  human  life  is  ever  press- 
ing home  upon  us.  The  toils  and  trials  incident  to  in- 
fant settlements,  the  slow  progress  of  even  successful 
efforts  ;  the  patience,  fortitude  and  sagacity  by  wliich 
obstacles  are  overcome,  the  causes  which  quicken  oi- 
retard  their  growth,  these  all  tend  to  instruct  the  wise 
and  warn  tho  rash  and  impi'cn'ident. 

Trumbull,  in  liis  History  of  Connecticut.  (Vol.T.  page 
115,)  says  that  in  1640,  'Mr.  Ludlow  made  a  purchase 
of  the  eastern  ])art  of  Xorwalk  :'"  "Capt.  Patrick 
bought  the  middle  part  of  tlie  town."  and  tliat  "'  a 
few  families  seem  to  have  })lante<l  themselves  in  the 
town  about  the  time  of  these  purchases."  The  name 
Norwalk  is  that  of  the  Indians — "  Norw^alk  Indians  " — 
from  whom  Mr.  Ludlow  made  the  purchase,  and  the 
land  is  described  as  lying  between  the  two  i-ivers,  the 
one  called  the  Norwalk  and  the  other  the  Soakatuck. 
In  pronouncing  it,  the  "w"  was  probably  silent,  as  in 
War?<?ick.  in  England,  at  the  ])resent  day.  and  th(>  old 
people  in  our  boyhood,  retained  tlie  ancient  ))ronnn('ia- 
tion,  "Xorruck."  The  first  town  records  date  Ironi 
1658.  and  are  coniijlctc  from  that  time.  There  apjiears 
to  be  no  complete  list  of  original  settlers,  but  a  "Table 
of  Estates  ot"  Lands  and  Accomodations.""  in  IGSo,  con- 
tains many  family   iianics  which   have   still   I'epresenta- 


9 

tives  among  us,  as  Abbot,  Benedict,  Bowton,  Fitch, 
Hanford,  Keeler.  Richards,  Sention,  (8t.  John,)  Smith, 
Taylor,   etc. 

The  original  title  to  the  land  was  derived  from  the 
Indians,  b}^  three  distinct  deeds,  which  are  given  in  full, 
together  with  fac-similes  of  the  marks  of  the  Indians, 
as  their  signatures,  in  "  Hall's  Ancient  Historical  Record 
ofN'orwalk,"  published  in  1847.  The  first  deed  was 
given  26th  of  February.  1640,  and  is  as  follows,  "An 
agreement  between  the  Indians  of  Norwalk  and  Roger 
Ludlow.  It  is  agreed  that  the  Indians  of  Norwalk,  for. 
and  in  consideration  of  eight  fathom  of  wampum,  six 
coates,  tenn  hatchets,  tenn  hoes,  tenn  knives,  tenn 
scissors,  tenn  jewes-harps,  tenn  fathom  Tobackoe,  three 
kettles  of  sixe  hands  about,  tenn  looking  glasses,  have 
granted  all  the  lands,  meadows,  pasturings,  trees,  what- 
soever there  is,  and  grounds,  between  the  two  rivers, 
the  one  called  Norwalk,  the  other  Soakatuck,  to  the 
middle  of  said  rivers,  from  the  sea,  a  day's  walk  into 
the  country,  to  the  said  Roger  Ludlow,  his  heirs  or 
assigns  for  ever — and  that  no  Indian  or  other  shall 
challenge  or  claim  any  ground  within  the  said  rivers  or 
limits,  nor  disturb  the  said  Roger,  his  heirs  or  assigns 
within  the  precincts  aforesaid.  In  witness  whereof,  the 
parties  thereunto  have  interchangeably  sett  their  hands. 
Roger  Ludlow,  Tomakergo,  Tokaneke.  Mahachemo. 
Adam  Prosewamenos." 


10 

This  deed  was  recorded  in  the  hook  of  Deeds  ot'Xor- 
walk.  ill  the  year  1672.  A  secoiul  deed  dated  20th  of 
A})i-il.  1040.  for  similar  consideration  of  wainpimi,  hatch- 
etts,  hoes,  glasses,  pipes,  knives,  drills  and  needles,  con- 
veyed to  Daniel  Patrick,  the  title  from  three  Indians, 
owners,  "'the  lands  lying  on  the  west  side  of  Norwalk 
river  as  far  n\)  in  the  country  as  an  Indian  can  go  hi  a 
day.  from  sun-rising  to  sun-setting — and  for  the  peace- 
able possession  of  wliicli  Mahacemill  doth  promise  and 
undertake  to  silence  all  opposers  of  the  purchase.  And 
finally,  Runckingheage,  and  fifteen  other  Indians,  by  in- 
denture made  15th  February.  IGol.  conveyed  to  Richard 
AVeb  and  thirteen  others,  planters  of  Norwalk.  for  the 
use  and  behalfe  of  said  town,  for  the  consideration  of 
thirty  fathom  of  wampum.  10  kettles.  15  coates,  10 
payr  of  stockings,  10  knives,  10  hookes.  20  pipes.  10 
muckes.  10  needles,  all  their  lands  known  by  the  name 
of  Runckingheage,  Rooaton.  bounded  on  the  east  by 
land  pui'chased  of  Capt.  Patrick,  on  the  west  by  the 
brook  called  Pampaskeshanke.  on  the  north,  the  Moe- 
hakes  country,  and  on  the  south  by  the  sea.""  This 
conveyance  covered  the  site  of  Xew  Canaan,  except 
what  was  derived  from  Stamford.  Subsequently  the 
title  of  ('apt.  Patrick  of  Greenwich,  to  the  lands  on 
the  west  side  of  Norwalk  river,  was.  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1650.  confirmed  to  him  by  the  surviving  Indians,  orig- 
inal proprietors  of  the  land.     This  was  in  consequence 


11 

of  the  non-payment  of  part  of  the  original  considera- 
tion, the  receipt  of  which,  in  full,  was  now  acknowl- 
edged. On  the  13th  April,  1654,  Mr.  Roger  Ludlow, 
of  Fairfield,  who  had  made  the  first  purchase  of  the 
Indians,  assigned  to  Nathaniel  Eli  and  the  rest  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Xorwalk  all  his  title,  interest  and  claim  to 
the  plantation  of  Norwalk  and  every  part  thereof. 

The  township  of  Stamford  was  purchased,  July  1st, 
1640,  for  the  white  settlers,  of  the  Indians,  for  consider- 
ations similar  to  those  given  by  the  proprietors  of  Nor- 
walk, and  embraced  a  tract  of  land,  extending  from  the 
Rowalton,  (Five  Mile  River)  to  the  Myanos,  and 
running  back  into  the  country  16  miles.  This  cov- 
ered what  is  now  Stamford.  Darien,  a  part  of  New  Ca- 
naan, Poundridge,  North  Castle  and  Bedford,  In  this 
tract  were  traces  of  fom-  distinct  tribes  or  clans.  In  the 
west,  Myano.  deemed  the  most  savage  of  all  :  farther 
east  was  Wascussue.  Sagamore  of  Shippan.  and  still 
further  east  was  Pianickin,  the  Sagamore  of  Roaton, 
who  was  also  one  of  the  grantors  to  the  Norwalk  pur- 
chasers. North  of  these  was  Ponus,  Sagamore  of  To- 
quams,  who  had  received  from  his  ancestors  the  wooded 
hills  and  vales  stretching  far  away  to  the  northward 
until  they  merge  in  the  forests,  which  even  the  red 
men  did  not  claim.  Stamford  was  called  Rippowam, 
and  the  harbor  Toq nam.  Still  later,  about  1700,  these 
grants  of  land  to  the  English  were  confirmed  in  an  in- 


12 

strument  attested  by  fifteen  Indians'  signatures.  The 
Stamford  Tn<lians  seem, however,  to  have  caused  consider- 
able annoyance  and  anxiety  to  the  white  settlers,  in' con- 
sequence, probably,  of  the  provocations  offered  the  Indi- 
ans by  the  Dutch  traders,  wlio  resided  not  far  west  of 
Stamford.  The  Norwalk  Indians  appear  to  have  been 
remiss  in  laying  out  the  northern  bounds  of  their  con- 
veyance, twelve  miles  from  the  sea,  and  required  some 
additional  stimulus,  by  way  of  proffer  of  four  addition- 
al coats  when  tliat  should  have  been  performed.  A 
considerable  nuni])er  of  Indians  continued  to  reside  in 
Norwalk,  and  were  subject  to  the  town  authorities,  ex- 
hibiting the  characteristic  lack  of  indus'try  and  thrift 
belonging  to  the  race,  but  neither  the  records  nor  tra- 
dition impute  to  them  any  savage  conduct.  Rev.  Mr. 
lianlbiil.  the  first  minister  of  Norwalk,  appears  to  have 
evoked  the  kindly  regards  of  at  Iwist  one  of  their  nuni- 
])ei'.  for  in  1G90,  "Winnipauk."  Indian  Sagamore  of 
Xoi'Widk.  conveyed  by  deed,  liis  •  Island  lying  against 
Kowerlon."  <'ontaining  twenty  acres  which  he  affirms 
he  liad  never  bv  deed  of  gift  or  snle  made  over  to  any, 
■  but  now  by  this  my  deed,  I  do  give  it  fi'eely  to  my 
belove(l  friend  Thomas  Hanford.  senior  minister  of  Nor- 
walk, to  possess  and  improve,  to  him  and  his  heirs  for 
ever." 

At  the  time  of  the  earliest  settlements  in  what  is  now 
New  Canaan,   the   Indians  had  almost  entirely    disap- 


13 

peared  from  this  part  of  the  country.  In  the  burying 
ground  near  to  the  old  meeting-house  were  two  graves 
marked  by  phiin  headstones,  which  tradition  assigned 
to  Indians.  These,  together  with  the  ''Indian  Rocks," 
(nearly  two  miles  nortliof  us,)  in  which  are  excavations 
used  by  the  tribes  for  pounding  their  corn,  are  the  only 
relics — (so  far  as  I  can  learn)  of  the  forest  races  who 
once  dwelt  here.  Tliey  have  perished.  The  small-pox 
desolated  whole  tribes  of  them  in  New  England,  but  a 
mightier  power,  a  moral  contagion,  which  the  toucli  of 
the  white  man  seems  to  communicate,  has  betrayed  them 
into  a  lingering  ruin.  The  feeble  remnants  of  these  pow- 
erful tribes  driven  beyond  the  Mississippi,  are  crossing 
tlie  flanks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  have  but  one 
more  remove  to  make,  that  is  to  the  burial-place  of  their 
race.  It  is  a  consolation  to  us  to  know,  that  our  imme- 
diate ancestors  did  not  forcibly  displace  the  Indians,  but 
respecting  their  claim  to  the  soil,  purchased  the  lands, 
for  what  was  then  considered  an  adequate  consideration. 
The  settlement  of  Stamford  by  the  English  was  be- 
gun in  ]  (j40.  by  a  company  of  men  who  had  become 
dissatisfied  with  their  circumstances  at  Wethersfield, 
Ct.,  and  by  advice  of  Rev.  Mr.  Davenport,  obtained 
from  the  New  Haven  Colony  the  tract  of  land  (before 
described)  lying  west  of  Norwalk,  which  the  Colony 
through  their  agent,  Capt.  Nathaniel  Turner,  had  just 
purchased  from   the  Indians.     The  list  of  pioneers   at 


14 

tlie  end  of  l(»l'2  einbracos  50  names,  heads  of  families, 
amoni:-  wliich  we  recognize  several  which  were  repre- 
sented hy  the  early  settlers  of  Xew  Canaan.  In  the 
first  company  of  28.  who  came  to  Stamford,  we  find 
"Matthew  Mitchell. ■■  the  ancestor  of  Rev.  Justus 
Mitchell,  who  was  pastor  of  the  Cono-regational  C'hiuch 
in  New  Canaan,  from  1783  to  his  death  in  1806. 

The  Stamford  settlement  was  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Xew  Haven  Colony,  whose  Capital  was  New  Ha- 
ven where  their  General  Court,  or  Legislature,  was 
held,  and  to  which  Stamford  sent  Representatives. 
This  Colony  was  a  rival  of  the  Connecticut  Colony 
whose  capital  was  Hartford.  The  people  of  Stamford 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  New  Haven  government  from 
an  early  period,  and  continued  to  have  dissensions  among 
themselves  respecting  the  two  Jurisdictions,  but  in  1044 
the  New  Haven  Colony  submitted,  accepted  the  Char- 
ter, and  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  the  Connecti- 
cut government.  There  appears  to  have  been  at  one 
time,  a  serious  difference  between  the  people  of  Stam- 
ford and  Norwalk  respecting  the  town  boundary  at  Five 
Mile  River,  due  })robably  to  vagueness  in  the  convey- 
ance of  the  Indian  Pianickin.  In  the  town  meeting  at 
Norwalk.  August  26.  1666,  it  was  voted  and  agreed, 
"  that  such  men  of  our  inhabitants  as  do  go  to  cut  hay  on 
the  other  side.  Five  Mile  River,  the  town  will  stand  by 
them  in  the  action  to  (hd'cnd  them  and  to  bear  an  equal 


15 

proportion  of  the  damage  they  shall  sustain  on  that 
account ;  and  if  they  shall  be  affronted  by  Stamford  men 
the  town  will  take  as  speedy  a  course  as  they  can  to 
prosecute  them  by  law,  to  recover  their  just  rights 
touching  their  lands  in  controversy  :  and  also  they 
have  chosen  and  deputed  Mr.  Thomas  Fitch  to  go  with 
the  said  men,  when  they  go  to  cut  or  fetch  away,  to 
make  answer  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  town  and  the  rest 
to  be  silent."  Two  years  later  they  directed  their  Rep- 
resentatives in  the  Legislature  to  endeavor  to  have 
their  differences  settled  and  to  notify  the  Stamford 
people  of  their  intentions.  This  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  successful.  But  in  June  1670,  the  town  of 
Norwalk  "voted  and  agreed  that  Mr.  Fitch  and  Lieut. 
Omstead  and  Daniel  Kellogg,  are  chosen  a  committee 
to  go  to  Stamford  to  treat  with  the  inhabitants  there,  to 
see  if  they  and  we  can  come  to  a  loving  and  neighborly 
issue  and  agreement  about  the  division  of  bounds  be- 
twixt them  and  us,  and  the  said  com.mittee  is  to  make 
these  propositions  to  the  men  of  Stamford,  either  to 
divide  betwixt  Five  Mile  River  and  Pine  Brook,  that  is 
to  say,  in  the  middle  between  both,  or  else  to  divide 
in  the  middle  between  Saketuk  river  and  the  bouiuls 
between  Stamford  and  Greenwich." 

The  earliest  settlers  were  prone  to  seek  their  resi- 
dences along  the  coasts,  hence  Norwalk  and  Stamford 
sites  along  the  Sound  shore  were  first  taken  up.     As 


populalion  iiicri^is(Ml  and  uv\x  lioinrs  were  to  ho  luado. 
the  soUlers  naturally  tbllowod  the  water  courses  pre- 
sentino-  the  more  sheltered  and  aeressible  situations. 
Hence  from  Xorwalk.  the  settlements  were  along  the 
slopes  on  either  si(h'  of  the  Kowalton  or  Five  Mile 
Rivei-.  parallel  to  the  course  taken  by  the  settlers  of 
Wilton  and  Kiducfield  along  the  Xorwalk  river.  Among 
the  eai'liest  huilt  houses  in  New  Canaan,  were  a  cluster 
on  •'  Clapboard  Hills."*  One  of  those  is  still  standing,  the 
residence  of  Mr.  .lames  Tournier.  Two  others  in  that 
innnetliate  vicinity  have  been  destroyed  by  hre  within 
the  recollection  of  many  of  us.  At  Canoe-hill  also  woe 
several  (^f  th*^  older  houses.  Following  more  closely  the 
western  slope  of  the  river,  a  cluster  of  houses  was  built 
on  the  upper  part  of  Haines'  Ridge,  among  which  were 
the  old  residences  of  Col.  Enoch  St.  John.  Elnathaii  Lock- 
wood.  Mr.  Moses  Comstock.  Mr.  I'l-iah  Reed,  and  Mr. 
Aaron  Comstock.  Three  of  these  have  been  demolish- 
ed, one  so  remodeled  as  not  to  appear  like  an  old  house, 
while  one  remains  essentially  unchanged  in  aspect. 

The  settlers  from  Stamford,  followed  similarly  the 
course  of  the  Xoroton  river,  as  also,  still  farther  west, 
that  of  ^rill  River.  A  single  style  of  architecture  was 
almost  nnivei'sal.  not  only  here,  hut  throughout  New 
Eno-land.  in  those  davs.  The  house  was  of  two  stories 
in  front,   presenting  two  eligible    chambers,   while   the 


•       ^  IT 

rear  roof  sloped  oft'  to  the  height  of  seven  or  eight  feet 
from  the  ground.  A  massive  stone  chimney  was  in  tlie 
center,  with  its  huge  fire-place,  admitting  back-logs  and 
fore-sticks  four  feet  long,  and  still  furnishiiig  warming 
room  within  its  jambs  for  all  the  children.  Here  was 
the*  ponderous  crane  with  its  assortment  of  trammels  of 
varying  lengths  for  pots  and  kettles,  the  iron  andirons, 
tongs  and  peel  with  its  handle  four  feet  long,  termina- 
ting in  a  large  hemispherical  knob  ;  (this  was  used 
for  cleaning  out  the  coals  from  the  brick  oven  which 
occupied  a  part  of  the  deep  recesses  of  the  old  chinniey  :) 
the  spider,  the  skillett,  the  griddle  ;  all  over  the  open 
fire.  No  prosaic,  economical  cooking-stove  or  rans-e 
had  yet  made  its  appearance.  The  rooms  of  these  old 
time  houses  were  ranged  around  the  chimney.  The 
keeping  room  and  parlor,  on  either  side,  in  front,  the 
latter  with  its  beaufet  displaying  the  glittering  pew- 
ter plates  and  platters,  and  a  slender  assortment  of  china 
cups  and  saucei-s  ;  the  kitchen  in  the  rear — with  bed 
rooms  on  either  side — the  hall  in  front,  with  winding 
stairs  leading  to  chambers  above  ;  these  all  communi- 
cated by  doors,  so  that  on  festal  occasions,  in  families 
moulded  not  according  to  the  strictest  sect  of  the  Puritans, 
this  arrangement  furnished  ample  scope  for  merry  games 
and  dancing.  But  I  must  leave  the  garret,  with  its  fes- 
toons of  dried  apples  and  peaches,  its  bunches  of  bone- 
set,  may- weed  and  other  medicinal  herbs,  its  revolu- 


18 

tionary  guns,  bayonets  and  swords,  lo  the  tender  recol- 
lections of  the  more  mature,  and  the  hvely  imagination 
of  the  younger  of  my  auditors  or  history  will  he  saeri- 
liced  to  topograi)hy  and  domestic  economy. 

To  return  to  our  settlers  of  New  Canaan,  whom  we 
have  traced  to  their  abodes  liere  :  they  had  gradually 
spread  through  the  valleys  and  over  the  ridges,  and  in- 
creased to  such  a  degree,  that  they  felt  the  want  of  some 
organization  for  the  development  of  their  social  and 
})ubli('  relations.  This  led  to  the  incorporation  of  "  Ca- 
naan Parish  ""  The  first  notice  of  it  on  the  Stamford 
Records,  is  dated  December  8th.  1730,  when  'John 
Bouton  and  others,  ask  libei-ty  of  moving  out  of  town, 
to  join  with  a  })art  of  Nor  walk  in  order  to  ])e  a  socie- 
ty.'" The  town  voted  in  the  negative.  Still,  the  next 
year,  we  find  the  town  of  Stamford  appointing  John 
Bouton  and  Ebenezer  Seelye.  tything  men,  for  the  new 
Societv  and  designating  theii-  field  of  service  Canaan 
parish.  Two  years  after,  "the  town  agree  that  there 
shall  be  a  committee  chosen  to  agree  with  those  men  that 
have  land  lying  where  it  may  be  thought  needful  for  a 
highway  for  the  conveniency  of  Canaan  parish  to  go  to 
meeting.  "  Of  the  twenty-foiu'  members  constituting 
the  first  church,  eleven  were  from  Stamford,  and  two 
of  these.  John  Bouton  and  Thomas  Talmadge  were  its 
first  deacons.  .  There  seems  to  have  been  no  objection 
to  the  ni'W  parish  on  the  ])art  of  Xorwalk.      April    3d. 


19 

1732,  the  proprietors  "  by  major  vote,  grant  to  the  In- 
habitants of  Canaan  parish  all  the  common  land  where 
their  meeting-house  standeth."  The  parish  was  incor- 
porated by  the  Legislature  in  1731.  The  first  Society's 
meeting  was  held  July  1st.  1731,  and"  the  record  of 
their  acts  is  complete,  in  legible  handwriting  and  in 
good  preservation.  The  next  year  there  were  forty- 
seven  members,  thirty  on  the  Norwalk  and  seventeen 
on  the  Stamford  side.  The  first  question  discussed  by 
them,  was  the  expediency  of  building  a  meeting-house 
for  the  public  worship  of  Grod.  Decided  in  the  affirm- 
ative, twenty-four  to  one.  They  were  unable  to  agree 
upon  the  place  where  the  building  should  be  erected — 
and  they  appointed  a  suitable  person  to  represent  them 
in  the  general  court  to  be  held  in  October,  to  request 
the  Hon.  Assembly  to  appoint  a  committee  to  fix  a 
place  for  the  house.  It  w^as  decided  that  the  house 
should  be  built  at  the  lower  end  of  Haines'  Ridge,  the 
house  to  ])e  thirty  feet  square,  and  of  a  height  suitable 
for  one  tier  of  galleries.  A  building  committee  was  ap- 
pointed who  were  either  to  let  out  the  w^ork.  "  by  the 
great,''  or  hire  men  by  the  day.  They  levied  a  tax  of 
ten  pence  on  the  pound  in  the  List.  Then  follows  a 
list  of  members  with  their  assessments.  In  February 
1732,  the}^  appointed  a  Committee  to  make  application 
to  the  Rev.  Elders  of  the  county  for  advice  and  direc- 
tion in  order  to  the  calling  and  settlement  of  a  minister. 


20 

^riiev  wore  directed  tu  Pvev.dohii  T'ell.^.  of'Milford.  who 
preached  among  them  nine  months  on  })rol)ati()n.  and 
ill  June,  1733,  was  settled  among  them  as  then-  niiiiis- 
ter,  residing  on  Clapboard  Hills.  After  this  time,  the 
Society's  meetings  were  devoted  to  such  business  as  de- 
volves upon  it  at  tlie  present  day.  with  several  items 
wliich  are  now  managed  by  the  town,  such  as  taking 
charge  of  the  scliools.  laying  out  highways,  etc.  Then* 
meetings  were  connnonly  "warned  to  be  held  at  "'siui 
two  hours  liigli  at  night."  Clocks  and  watches  were 
probably  not  common,  and  we  find  an  appropriation  of 
two  shillings-nine  pence  to  buy  an  liour-glass.  At  this 
time,  all  inhabitants  of  the  parisli  were  members,  and 
-were  taxed  for  its  support  :  it  is  not  strange  that  some 
should  have  been  restive  and  sought  release.  One 
member  petitioned  the  legislature  to  that  effect,  but 
met  there  a  committee  from  the  Society,  who  success- 
fully opposed  the  petition.  Tliey  assessed  themselves 
as  higli  as  nineteen  jicnce  on  the  pouml  and  collected 
it  by  "stress."  if  necessary.  The  building  of  the  meet- 
ing-houst'  was  a  severe  draught  on  their  slender  re- 
sources. As  the  expenses  of  the  Society  were  defrayed 
by  tax,  the  seats  were  common  property,  but  the  Socie- 
ty was  accustomed  to  "seat  the  meeting  house."  as  it 
\vas  termed,  according  to  "  rate  and  dignity."  By  vote, 
they  gave  Rev.  Mi\  Eells  the  seat  next  to  the  pulpit, 
on  the  woman's  side.     Similar  seating  of  the  meeting 


21 

houses,  appear  in  the  records  of  Stamford  and  Norwalk. 
It  was  the  custom  to  appoint  some  person  to  "set  the 
psalm."  And  in  1739  they  voted  to  "sing  by  rule,  or 
that  which  is  called  the  new  luay  in  the  congregation." 
Huntington  says,  "this  change  from  the  old  to  the  new 
way  of  singing  had  been  introduced  in  1721.  The 
eight  or  nine  tunes  brought  over  by  the  pioneers  "  had 
become  barbarously  perverted,"  and  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Walter,  of  Roxbury,  Mass.,  composer,  in  that  year  pub- 
lished, "  The  Grounds  and  Rules  of  Music  Explained,  or 
an  Introduction  to  the  Art  of  Singing  by  Note."  The 
book  contained  twenty-four  tunes  harmonized  in  three 
parts. 

After  six  years  "  experience  "  (as  it  was  termed)  with 
Mr.  Eells,  some  began  to  be  dissatisGed,  and  in  1740. 
the  Society  appointed  a  committee  to  acquaint  Mr.  Eells 
and  see  if  he  would  give  his  consent  to  have  a  vote 
tried  to  see  who  is  easy  and  who  is  uneasy,  with  him. 
The  test  showed  twenty-four  uneasy.  In  1741,  Mr. 
Eells,  was  dismissed.  Tradition  assigns  to  him,  ability, 
learning  and  piety,  together  with  certain  eccentricities 
deemed  inconsistent  in  a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He 
continued  to  reside  here  until  his  death,  in  1785.  The 
Society  proceeded  promptly  to  fill  his  place.  The  Rev. 
Robert  Silliman  was  ordained  February,  1742.  During 
his  ministry,  there  was  such  increase  in  the  Congrega- 
tion as  to  require  an  addition  to  the   meeting-house, 


09 


eleven  I'eot  on  each  end  and  twelve  feet  on  tlie  sontli 
side.  Tliey  also  built  a  ;^ociety  house  north  of  tlie 
meeting-house  twenty-one  by  sixteen  feet,  with  seven 
foot  posts.  This  was  probably  to  accommodate  those 
who  came  to  meeting  from  a  distance,  and  w^as  furnish- 
ed with  a  fire-place,  where  they  might  spend  the  time 
between  services,  the  meeting  house  being  without  any 
device  for  heating.  In  1750,  the  Society  resolves  to 
build  a  new  meeting-house  fifty  feet  by  forty,  with  one 
tier  of  galleries  and  turret  (belfty.)  This  structure  was 
so  far  advanced  as  to  be  deemed  fit  for  use  in  1752, 
thoufirh  the  sralleries  Avere  not  made  until  1787.  In 
'97,  the  turret  was  completed  and  the  first  bell  obtained, 
which  was  to  be  rung,  not  only  on  the  Sabbath,  but 
also  at  nine  o'clock  every  evening  except  Saturday. 
The  new  house  was  built  a  short  distance  north  of  the 
old  one  and  about  150  feet  south  east  of  the  present 
buildins:.  For  ninetv  vears  it  was  in  constant  use  as  a 
place  of  worship.  Every  Sabbath,  Thanksgiving  and  Fast 
day  its  courts  were  well  filled  with  devout  worshippers, 
and  by  many  of  us  now  assembled  in  this,  its  comely 
successor,  the  memory  of  the  old  meeting-house  will 
ever  be  hallowed.  It  was  built  in  the  style  quite  com- 
mon in  that  day,  precisely  like  the  one  then  in  Stam- 
ford, except  that  the  latter  had  a  spire  that  rose  from 
the  ground.  Opening  the  double  doors,  on  the  south 
side,  we  entered  an  area  of  small    square  pews,  whose 


MLl}^-\ 


THE  OLD  CONCiKEUATIONAL  MEETING  HOUSE,  ERECTED  IT.VJ 


23 

floors  were  elevated  about  eight  inches  above  the  floor 
of  the  central  portion  of  the  room.     This  latter  was  at 
first  filled  with  slips  on  each  side  of  the  center  or  broad 
aisle,  leading  up  to  the  pulpit.     A  narrow  aisle  passed 
cjuite  around  these  slips  furnishing  access  to  the  pews 
which  occupied  the  entire  walls  except  where  the  doors, 
on  the  east,   the  south  and  the  west  sides  ;  the  stairs 
leading  to  the  galleries  at  the  corners,  and  the  pulpit  at 
the  center  of  the  north  side  occupied  the  space.     The 
slips  in  the  center  were  afterwards,  (in  1808)  converted 
into  square  pews.     The  galleries  were  deep,  filled  with 
square  pews  along  the  south  wall,    and  elsewhere  with 
the  long  slips.     The  choir  was  ranged  along  the  front 
and  sometimes  extended  nearly  the  entire  length  of  the 
galleries,  the  base  on  the  west,   the  treble  on  the  east 
and  the  tenor  or  "'counter,"  with  the  leader  on    the 
south.     The  pulpit  was  an  hexagonal  structure,  placed 
upon    a  pillar,  about  eight  feet  above  the   floor,   and 
reached  by  a  flight    of  stairs,  was  neatly  finished  and 
painted  white  ;  above  it  was  suspended    a  canopy  or 
sounding-board,  hexagonal  in  shape,   about  seven  feet 
above  the  floor  of  the  pulpit,  with  a  screw  at  the  top  of 
the  iron  rod  supporting  it,   so  that  its  height  might  be 
adjusted    to  the  proper  distance  for  reflection  of  the 
sound.     The  arrangement   was  indeed  stiff  and  awk- 
ward, and  was  often  severely  criticized.     I  remember 
hearing  one  clergyman — a    man  of  large  size — remark. 


24 

tliat  lie  would  ;is  soon  livt  into  a  liouslicail  aii<l  ])r('acli 
from  tlie  Ituuii,-.  Tlie  (leacon's  seat  was  (Jircctly  l)t'ii('atli 
the  puljtit.  aeeess  to  it  being-  lia<l  tlii'ouoh  the  minis- 
ter's pew.  To  resume  the  history  of  the  parisli  :  when 
their  minister,  Mr.  SilHman,  had  served  them  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  some  iineasiness  began  to  manifest  itself. 
A  vote  in  April  1768.  showed  46  "  easy  "  and  37  "  un- 
easy ""  with  him — but  not  h)nu-  after  they  voted  24  to 
15  that  thev  wouUl  emph)y  Mr.  SiHiman  no  longer. 
Mr.  Silliman  app(^aled  to  the  Greneral  Assembly  at  Hart- 
ford, and  the  Society  appeared  there  by  their  represen- 
tative. The  Legislature  sent  a  eommittee  to  see  how 
peace  could  be  restored,  who  advised  Mr.  Silliman  to 
ask  for  a  dimissal,  and  in  June  1772,  he  was  dismissed. 
In  the  succeeding  winter,  Mr.  William  Drummond,  born 
and  educated  in  Scotland,  was  settled  as  minister.  He 
remained  five  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Justus 
Mitchell,  who  by  his  scholarship  and  devotion  to  his 
calling  and  to  the  cause  of  education,  secured  tlie  |)ros- 
perity  of  the  entire  community,  and  gave  the  parish  a 
desirable  fame  throughout  the  state.  A  spirit  of  toler- 
ation manifested  itself,  and  the  Records  show  many  in- 
stances of  the  release  of  persons,  who  preferred  other 
modes  of  worship,  from  their  responsibilities  to  this 
Society.  The  pews  were  rented  to  defray  expenses  and 
relieve  from  taxation.  Mr.  Mitchell  died  in  1806,  and 
was  buried  by  his  sorr(nving  congregation,  on  the  brow^ 


26 

of  the  hill  in  front  of  us,  and  many  will  remember  his 
grave,  enclosed  with  a  jjicket  fence  and  overhung  by  a 
w^eeping  willow. 

We  have  now  come  to  the  period  when  a  more  com- 
plete separation  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  matters  was 
made.  The  Town  of  New  Canaan  was  incorporated  in 
1801,  occupying  the  same  territory  over  which  "Canaan 
parish "  had  held  jurisdiction.  The  Congregational 
Society  henceforth  devoted  itself  solely  to  the  care  of 
the  temporal  affiiirs  of  the  Church  with  which  it  was  con- 
nected, while  the  town  managed  the  schools,  the  high- 
ways and  similar  matters.  Briefly  to  complete  the  his- 
tory of  this  Society.  After  Mr.  Mitchell's  death,  the 
Rev.  William  Bonney  was  settled  here  from  1 808  to 
1831,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Theophilus  Smith.  Dur- 
his  minist-ry  the  present  edifice  was  built,  and  it  was 
dedicated  in  1843.  Mr.  Smith  died  in  1853,  after  a 
ministry  of  22  years.     The  successive  ministers  were  : 

Rev.  Frederick  G.  Williams,  from  1854  to  1859. 

Rev.  Ralph  Smith,  from  1860  to  1863. 

Rev.  Benjamin  L.  Swan,  from  1864  to  1866. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  Greenleaf,  was  set- 
tled in  March  1871. 

The  frame  of  the  first  Episcopal  Church  in  Canaan, 
was  raised  May  13,  1762,  on  land  obtained  from  Mr. 
Husted,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  northwest  from 
the  present  Church  edifice.     There  had  been  a  discussion 


26 

respecting  its  location  on  or  adjoininti-  the  Parade 
ground.  The  Ijuildiner  was  soon  rendered  fit  for  use, 
l»ut  was  not  completed  for  man}-  3^ears,  and  for  that 
reason  probably  was  never  consecrated.  At  this  time, 
the  Church  people  here,  were  accustomed  to  attend  ser- 
vice at  Norwalk  and  Stamford,  and  the  rates  which 
were  collected  of  Churchmen  in  this  parish,  were  paid 
over  to  the  rectors  of  those  churches.  In  1791,  they 
organized  themselves  into  a  distinct  parish.  From  that 
time,  there  have  been  regular  records  kept.  The  first 
wardens  were  Stephen  Belts  and  Dunlap  Coggshall,  and 
there  were  thirty-four  heads  of  families  who  considered 
themselves  as  belonging  to  the  Church  and  contributed 
to  its  support.  Services  were  held  about  one-fifth  of 
the  Sabbaths,  but  the  Church  languished  until  the  pro- 
ject was  conceived  and  executed  of  building  a  new 
church  edifice  nearer  the  village.  The  lot  whereon  the 
present  building  stands  was  purchased  of  ^fr.  Richard 
Fayerweather.  The  building  committee  were  Samuel 
Raymond,  Edward  Nash,  David  S.  Knight.  The  building 
was  finished  and  consecrated.  May  6,  1834.  The 
old  one  had  been  taken  down  the  year  before.  At 
this  time  the  Rev.  Charles  Todd  was  rector,  dividing 
his  time  equally  between  this  Church  and  tlie  one  in 
Ridorefield.  He  resigned  his  charo-e  in  1835.  an<l  was 
followed  by  R^v.  Jacob  L.  Clark,  who  also  had  tho  care 
of  both  churches.     After  his  resignation  in  1837,  Rev. 


27 

David  Ogden  was  called  to  give  his  undivided  attention 
to  this  Church.  In  1842  ill-health  compelled  him  to 
give  up  his  parish,  and  he  died  in  1845.  The  succeed- 
ing rectors  were  : 

Rev.  William  Everett,  from  1845  to  1846. 

Rev.  Dr.  Short,  from  1846  to  1852. 

Rev.  William  Long,  from  1852  to  1855. 

Rev.  William  H.  Williams,  from  1855  to  1858. 

Rev.  William  Cook,  from  1858  to  1863. 

Rev.  William  A.  DesBrisay,  from  1864  to  1874. 

The  present  rector.  Rev.  Isaac  W.  Hallam,  began  his 
services  at  Easter,  1875.  The  church  edifice  was  re- 
modeled and  the  spire  erected  during  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  William  H.  Williams,  and  re-opened.  May,  1858. 
In  the  winter  of  1873-4,  the  interior  was  frescoed  and 
two  windows  placed  in  the  Chancel.  The  Sunday 
School  was  organized  in  1853  under  the  superinten- 
dence of  Miss  Esther  Belts. 

The  first  mention  of  Methodist  preaching  in  this  town 
is  found  in  a  book  by  Rev.  William  C.  Hoyt,  of  Stam- 
ford, wherein  is  recorded  a  Methodist  sermon  preached 
in  the  parish  of  Canaan  by  Rev.  Cornelius  Cook, 
in  the  year  1787.  From  1816  until  1833,  New  Canaan 
formed  a  part  of  the  Stamford  circuit  (which  is  the  old- 
est in  New  England.)  Services  were  held  at  the  house 
of  Holly  Seymour,  in  White  Oak  Shade  District,  and 
frequently   at  the  residence  of  Capt.  Crofut  in  Silver 


Mine.  The  iirst  Methodist  preaching  in  the  village  was 
in  the  Town  Hall  then  standing  near  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  since  converted  into  the  present  Congre- 
gational parsonage.  In  October  1833,  the  first  Metho- 
dist house  of  worship,  which  is  the  present  Town  Hall, 
was  dedicated.  From  1833  to  1836.  New  Canaan  was 
united  to  Xorwalk  in  a  circuit  under  the  pastorate  of 
two  ministers.     These  were  : 

1833,  Rev.  Klijah  Hibbard,  Rev.  Abram  S.  Francis. 

1834,  Rev.  Luther  Mead,  Rev.  Abram  S.  Francis. 

1835,  Rev.  David  Stocking,  Rev.  John  Crawford. 

In  1836.  New  Canaan  was  set  oft' by  itself,  as  a  sta- 
tion under  the  pastorate  of  a  single  minister.  This  de- 
nomination of  Christians  has  made,  within  the  recollec- 
tion of  most  of  us,  rapid  progress,  endeavoring  faith- 
fully to  do  the  work  of  a  true  church  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  The  present  house  was  dedicated  in  1854. 
Dec.  21st.  The  following  are  the  successive  pastors  of 
the  Methodist  Church  and  their  terms  of  service  : 

Revs.  J.  Crawford,  1836:  Clark  Fuller.  1837:  S. 
W.  King,  1838-9  :  J.  W.  Selleck,  1840-1  :  Chas.  F. 
Pelton.  1842:  Jesse  Hunt.  1843:  Jas.»H.  Romer, 
1844-5  :  A.  H.  Ferguson.  1846-7  :  J.  D.  Marshall. 
1848-9  ;  Jacob  Shaw.  1850-1  ;  L.  D.  Nickerson, 
1852-3  ;  Harvey  Husted,  1854-5  ;  Mark  Staple.  1856- 
7  :  J.  L.  Cxilder,  1858-9  ;  C.  B.  Ford.  1860-1  ;  A.  H. 
Mead,  1862  ;  \Vm.  T.  Hill.  1863  :  J.  M.  Carroll.  1864- 


29 

5-6  :  Wm.  F.  Collins,  1867  :  S.  M.  Hammoiul  1868-9- 
70  ;  B.  T.  Abbott,  1871-2-3  :  I.  M.  OaiToll,  1874-5-6. 

The  first  person  in  New  Canaan  professing  faith  in 
Christ,  through  baptism  by  immersion,  was  baptized  by 
Rev.  John  Gano  of  New  York  City,  in  the  year  1772. 
Soon  after  as  Elder  .Gano  was  baptizing  in  Stamford, 
where  a  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1773.  Baptist 
meetings  were  held  in  New  Canaan,  and  have  been 
held  at  varjdng  intervals  to  the  present  time.  The  re- 
cords of  the  Canaan  parish  have  several  votes  exempt- 
ing Baptists  from  paying  society  rates  so  long  as  they 
remain  of  the  persuasion.  Nov.  4,  1871,  the  First  Bap- 
tist Society  of  New  Canaan  was  incorporated.  Their 
house  of  worship  was  opened  February  6th.  1773  ;  the 
service  of  recognition  being  held  in  that  liouse  the  13th 
day  of  March  following.  Their  pastor  is  the  Bev.  Eben 
S.  Raymond. 

Universalist  preaching  began  in  the  town  in  1832. 
Mr.  Hillyer,  and  aftei'wards  Mr.  Hitchcock  officiating. 
During  the  last  five  years  Rev.  J.  H.  Shepard  has 
preached  here  semi-monthly.     They   have  no  separate 

« 

organization. 

Services  according  to  the  Roman  Catholic  forms  of 
worship  were  first  held  here  in  a  hall  in  the  village, 
subsequently  in  the  Town  Hall.  Their  church  was 
built  in  1863.     Clergymen  from  Norwalk.  principally 


30 

Fathers  Mulligan  niul   Smitli.   have  ministered  to  those 
of  this  faith. 

The  patriotism  of  New  (^maan  citizens  has  hecn  well 
attested  in  the  three  wars  in  which  our  country  has 
been  engaged.  In  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  however, 
they  appear  as  citizens  of  Xorwalk  and  Stamford  and 
share  their  glorious  record.  Our  soil  has  never  been 
invaded  by  a  foreign  foe.  Xorwalk  was  twice  burned, 
and  some  of  our  friends  shared  the  catastrophe,  but  the 
British  troops  when  on  theii"  expedition  to  desti'oy  the 
military  stores  at  Danbury,  passed  eastward  of  us,  both 
on  their  approach,  and  return  to  their  boats  at  Compo 
Bay,  eastof  Norwalk,  and  thence  to  their  head-quarters 
on  Long  Island.  Some  of  our  immediate  ancestors 
were  at  Middlesex  (now  Darien.)  on  Sunday,  July  22d. 
1781.  when  an  unarmed  worshipping  congregation,  were 
in  the  most  dastardly  way  seized  and  subjected  to  in- 
dignity. The  leaders  in  that  sacreligious  foray  were 
from  among  the  tories  of  the  town,  and  their  deprecia- 
tions and  captures  were  practiced  upon  theii-  ibrnuM- 
neighbors  and  friends.  During  the  night  preceding 
they  had  crossed  the  Sound  from  Lloyd's  Neck,  and  se- 
creted themselves  in  a  swam})  a  few  rods  south  of  the 
meeting  house,  awaiting  the  ixathering  of  the  congrega- 
tion  for  their  usual  worship.  The  service  had  begun. 
Dr.  Mather  was  in  the  pul})it  which  he  had  occupied 
for  forty  years,  and  it  was  und()ul)tedly  his  earnest  pat- 


31 

riotism,  and  that  of  some  members  of  his  church,  which 
liad  led  to  this  attiick.  Its  object  was  to  capture  that 
fearless  preacher  and  the  leaders  of  his  people.  Sud- 
denly the  house  was  surrounded  and  the  summons  to 
surrender  was  issued  in  the  well-known  voice  of  their 
neighbor,  Capt  Frost.  Now  commenced  in  earnest  the 
work  of  tory  revenge.  With  derisive  jeers,  the  vener- 
able pastor  was  called  down  from  the  pulpit  to  lead  his 
congregation  in  a  very  different  service. 

The  men  of  the  congregation  wei-e  drawn  up  two  and 
two  in  marching  order  and  tied  arm  to  arm.  The  pastor 
was  ordered  to  the  front  to  lead  the  march.  The  val- 
uable articles  found  on  both  men  and  women  were 
stripped  from  them.  Every  horse  needed  for  the  inva- 
ding band  was  taken,  and  the  women  and  children  con- 
signed to  the  care  of  the  rear-guard,  until  the  captors 
with  their  prisoners  and  spoil  should  be  well  under 
.way.  Forty-eight  men  were  thus  hurried  away  to  the 
boats,  and  thence  taken  over  to  Long  Island.  Twenty- 
four  were  released  to  return  home  on  parole.  The  re- 
mainder were  taken  on  board  of  a  brig  and  confined 
below  decks.  They  were  thus  conveyed  to  the  Provost 
Prison,  N.  Y.  City,  where  they  suffered  every  possible 
indignity.  Here  they  were  kept  until  the  following 
December,  when  those  who  survived  were  exchanged. 

In  the  war  witli  Great  Britain  in  1812-15,  a  few  of 
our  citizens  were  in  tlie  service,  but  engaged  in  no  battle. 


32 

But  in  the  last  wnr-^-the  war  to  maintain  the  Union 
and  preserve  the  country,  whose  Centenary  we  this  day 
celebrate.  New  Canaan  citizens  cheerfully  entered  the 
Cnion  armies,  leaving  the  pursuits  of  peaceful  life  to 
engage  in  the  multitudinous  l)attles  of  the  greatest 
civil  war  in  history.  Some  of  these  fell  on  distant 
fields.  With  others,  life  languished  away  in  hospital  or 
prison.  The  remains  of  some  rest  in  our  own  cemete- 
ries— while  the  happy  survivors  witness  this  day  the 
glory  of  the  nation  they  aided  in  the  time  of  its  dire 
necessity — the  (xovernment,  whose  stability  and  per- 
petuity they  have  helped  to  secure. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Xew  Canaan  were  very 
few  men  of  literary  culture.  Neither  the  tempestuous 
times  which  had  engrossed  their  earliest  attention,  nor 
their  slender  pecuniary  resources  had  allowed  them 
the  advantages  of  any  scholastic  training.  But  the  New 
England  Fathers,  (and  our  pioneers  were  among  them.) 
saw  that  the  only  way  to  establish  here,  and  perpetuate 
a  Society  which  could  satisfy  their  hopes,  would  be  by 
means  of  a  careful,  thorough  and  general  education  of 
their  children.  The  fundamental  laws  of  the  Colony 
required,  under  severe  penalties,  every  town  to  provide 
means  for  the  early  instruction  of  their  childi-en.  The 
statute  reads  :  ''  The  Selectmen  of  every  town  shall 
have  a  vigilant  eye  over  their  brethren  and  neighbors, 
to  see,  first,  that  none  of  them  shall  suffer  so  much  bar- 


33 

barisra  in  any  of  their  families,  as  not  to  endeavor  to 
teach,  by  themselves  or  others,  their  children  and  ap- 
prentices, so  nmcli  learning  as  may  enable  them  per- 
fectly to  read  the  English  tongue  and  knowledge  of  the 
capital  laws,  upon  penalty  of  twenty  shillings  for  each 
neglect  therein."  It  was  still  further  provided,  that  ' 
"every  town  having  fifty  houseliolders  in  it  should, 
forthwith,  appoint  one  within  the  town  to  teach  all  such 
children  as  shall  resoi-t  to  him,  to  write  and  read, 
whose  wages  shall  be  paid  either  by  the  parents  or  mas- 
ters of  such  children,  or  by  the  inhabitants  in  general." 
Among  the  earliest  functions  discharged  by  Canaan 
parish,  is  the  appointment  of  seliool  committees. 
Where  the  first  school-house  was  built  and  when,  cannot 
now  be  ascertained.  It  was  doul)tless  like  their  first 
meeting-house,  exceedingly  plain  with  no  needless 
room  in  it.  and  no  useless  expensive  adorning.  At  tiiis 
day  we  can  have  no  adequate  concejjtion  of  the  extreme 
difficulty  attending  those  early  educational  measures, 
but  their  influence  on  succeeding  generations  has  been 
incalculable.  For  a  more  extended  education,  than 
that  furnished  by  the  common,  or.  as  it  is  now  tei'med. 
district  school,  no  provision  was  made  for  many 
years.  Rev.  Justus  Mitchell,  who  was  settled  in  the 
ministry  here  in  1783,  kept  a  select  school  during  a 
considerable  time.  Eight  young  men  from  Xew  Canaan, 
and  a  large  number  from  other  places  were  fitted  for  col- 


34 

lege  with  him.  l''Hphalot  ^^^t.  John,  Esq.,  who  graduated 
at  Yale  College  in  1701.  devoted  himself  to  teaching  at 
his  residence  on  Brushy  Ridge,  and  though  the  school 
consisted  mainly  of  young  men  from  New  York  fitting 
themselves  for  business,  still  some  citizens  of  New  Ca- 
naan and  adjoining  towns,  availed  themselves  of  tlie 
advantages  oftliis  seliool.  The  New  Canaan  Academy 
was  established  in  1815.  and  the  building  erected  in 
ISIG.     The  teachers  were,  successively  : 

Rev.  Herman  Daggett  ;  Rev.  James  H.  Linsley  ; 
Rev.  John  Smith  :  Dr.  Samuel  W.  Belden  ;  Rev.  Dr. 
Milton  Badger  :  Rev.  Theophilus  Smith  ;  Hon.  David 
L.  Seymour  ;  Pres.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant  ;  Rev.  Dr. 
Flavel  Bascom  :  Rev.  Dr.  Alfred  Newton  ;  Rev.  John 
C.  Hart  :  Rev.  Wm.  B.  Lewis  ;  Prof.  Ebenezer  A. 
Johnson. 

This  Academy,  about  1834.  was  converted  into  a  pri- 
vate boarding  school,  and  was  owned  and  taught  suc- 
cessively by  Messrs.  Silas  Davenport,  David  S.  Rock- 
well and  Rev.  J.  L.  Gilder.  The  Academy  was  revived 
in  1859,  taught  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Wyckoflf.  for  several 
years,  afterwards  by  Mr.  Thomas  Pease,  and  was  bro- 
ken up  during  the  last  year  of  the  civil  war.  Twenty- 
five  persons  have  graduated  at  Yale  College  from  this 
town,  a  majority  of  whom,  would  have  not  enjoyed 
the  privilege  of  a  collegiate  education  had  not  the 
Academv  enabled  tliem  to  fit  tliemselves  here.    Besides 


35 

these  graduates  a  much  larger  number  of  young  men 
were  fitted  for  busuiess.  Young  ladies  also  enjoyed 
in  the  Academy  the  advantages  of  a  thorough  course 
of  study.  It  ranked  second  only  to  tlie  churches  in  el- 
evating the  standard  of  moral  and  intellectual  cul- 
ture in  the  town. 

The  occupations  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  New  Ca- 
naan were  purely  agricultural,  with  artizans  enough 
barely  to  supply  their  own  wants.  The  tailors  and 
mantua-makers  and  even  shoe-makers  were  accustomed 
to  circulate  through  the  town  semi-annually  making  up 
the  requisite  wardrobes  of  the  families.  The  farmers 
were  exceedingly  patient,  hard  working  men ;  their 
farms  required  clearing  not  only  of  trees  and  bushes, 
but  of  the  numerous  stones,  which  in  this  diluvial  soil, 
almost  covered  the  face  of  the  earth.  To  dispose  of 
these  stones,  they  built  walls  enclosing  small  fields. 
They  raised  wheat,  (until  the  Hessian  fly  destroyed 
that  crop)  rye,  corn,  oats  and  potatoes.  Timothy  or 
herds-grass  was  introduced  at  a  comparatively  late 
period.  Their  hay  consisted  of  the  harsh  low  meadow- 
grass,  and  the  natural  grasses  of  the  uplands  near  their 
barns.  The  great  problem  with  them  was,  how  to  win- 
ter their  stock.  They  supplemented  their  slender  sup- 
ply of  hay  with  cornstalks  and  husks  and  oat-straw. 
Their  cattle  in  the  spring  were  emaciated  and  many  of 
them  died  of  "horn  distemper,''  which  generally  meant 


3(3 

"starvation."  Tlio  old  wooden  i)loui;li  was  a  rough, 
heavy,  chnnsy  iiistnuiieiit  and  1  reinein])er  hearing  dis- 
cussions among  the  workmen  on  the  probabiUty  of  the 
inti-oduction  of  an  iron  j)lough  whieh  was  then  in  use, 
in  the  west  of  tliat  ihiy.  (tliat  is  Central  and  Western 
New  York.)  1  rejoiee  in  h.aving  Hved  to  see  the  toils 
of  the  husbandman  relieved  by  the  steel  plough,  the 
tooth  harrow,  the  horse  rake,  the  mower  and  reaper 
and  other  machines,  which  not  only  lighten  labor,  but 
make  it  more  efficient,  Noi-  will  we  forget  the  spin- 
ning jennies,  power-looms  and  sewing-machines  which 
relieve  the  women  of  the  present  day  from  that  inces- 
sant hard  labor,  which  in  the  case  of  their  grandmothers 
together  with  the  inevitable  care  of  the  household, 
crushed  their  physical  energies,  and  suppressed  every 
rising  aspiration  for  intellectual  and  a'sthetic  culture. 
Let  the  sj)inning-wheels  large  and  small  go  to  grace  the 
elegant  parlors  of  New  York,  and  1  would  that  they 
were  gifted  with  speech,  to  })ortray  the  scenes  of  unre- 
pining  toil  enacted  at  their  sides  in  days  gone  by — and 
perhaps  gentlemen  might  proht  by  a  plough  or  Hail  of 
the  olden  time  in  their  offices. 

J^ut  there  came  a  time  when  the  enterpi-ise  of  New 
Canaan  was  turned  in  the  direction  of  maiudacturing 
bootsand  shoes.  The  town  was  dotted  over  with  little 
shops  and  ranked  among  the  foremost  in  that  manufac- 
ture.     1  have  not    been  able*  to  obtain  anv  reliable  sta- 


37 

tistics  of  this  business  when  it  was  most  extensive. 
Niles'  Register  giving  an  account  of  the  town  in  1818, 
states  that  50,000  pairs  were  annually  sent  out. 

At  this  day  we  have  no  conception  of  the  difficulties 
connected  with  travel  in  the  early  period  of  our  history. 
For  many  years,  all  travel  was  on  foot  or  horseback, 
and  the  introduction  of  pleasure  carriages  dates  within 
the  present  century.  When  persons  wished  to  go  to 
New  York  City  they  resorted  to  the  sloops  from  Five 
Mile  River,  or  Rings'  End  landings.  A  daily  mail 
stage  route  from  Boston  on  the  turnpike,  passing 
through  Norwalk  and  Stamford,  was  established  in  1  818. 
In  1825  the  steamboat  "  Oliver  Wolcott,"  began  run- 
ning from  Stamford  to  New  York,  down  on  one  day 
and  returning  the  next.  During  the  summer  of  that 
year  a  four-horse  stage  coach  came  from  Ridgefield  to 
Stamford,  through  this  town — and  soon  after  travel  to 
the  city  was  by  steamboat  from  Norwalk  touching  at 
Stamford,  Greenwich  and  New  Rochelle.  Early  in 
1849,  the  New  York  and  New  Haven  Railroad  was 
completed  and  the  great  marvel  accomplished  of  three 
trains  daily ^  the  whole  way  and  back  again.  When 
the  Danbury  Railroad  was  in  contemplation  a  route 
was  surveyed  through  New  Canaan,  but  our  citizens 
were  either  indiflerent  or  distinctly  opposed  to  it.  Af- 
ter a  time,  however,  it  was  perceived  that  the  only  way 
to  save  our  town  from  insignificance  and  business  ex- 


38 

tinction  was  to  build  a  Railroad  connecting  with  the 
Xew  Haven  Road  and  tide  water  communication  for 
heavy  freight.  The  New  Canaan  R.  R.  was  opened 
July  -Ith.  18GS,  and  if  it  has  not  accomplished  all  that 
its  earnest  advocates  expected  of  it,  it  lias  had  a  deter- 
mining influence  in  shaping  the  futui'e  of  the  town.  A 
post-office  with  a  weekly  mail  was  established  in  1817, 
afterwards  two  mails  a  week,  the  mail  being  carried  on 
horseback  to  Stamford,  which  was  then  a  distributing 
office.  Diu'ing.  the  past  13  3ears  two  mails  daily  have 
been  distributed  from  the  office  here.  A  telegraph  line 
was  established  in  1860,  which  is  still  working. 

The  New  Canaan  Savings  Rank  was  oi'ganized  in 
1859.  Samuel 'A.  Weed,  President,  until '63  ;  Watts 
Comstock,  President,  from  "63  to  72  ;  Stephen  Hoyt, 
from   "72  to  present  time. 

The  First  National  Rank,  of  New  Canaan,  was  or- 
ganized in  1865.  Watts  Comstock  was  President  from 
the  date  of  organization  until  his  death,  when  Stephen 
Hoyt  was  elected  to  fdl  the  vacancy. 

Probably  few  of  my  auditors  have  ever  reflected  up- 
on the  fact,  that  we  have  had  slaves  in  New  Canaan, 
until  within  a  few  years.  Very  many  families  here  in 
the  last  century,  had  one  or  more  slaves,  and  when  the 
State  passed  its  Emancipation  Act,  it  exempted  only 
those  born  after  a  certain  date,  leaving  the  othei's  still 
in  slavery,     So  far  as  I   can  learn,  thev  were   not  sub- 


39 

jected  to  any  harsher  usage  than  if  they  had  been  free, 
still  that  their  bones  and  sinews  were  not  their  own, 
must  have  been  galling  to  the  slightest  spark  of  sensi- 
bility. The  Whipping-post  and  Stocks,  we  are  happy 
to  say,  have  passed  away  forever.  The  whipping-post 
stood  at  the  angle  of  the  road  south-east  of  us.  (a  few 
feet  north  of  the  present  lamp  post) — and  in  my  boy- 
hood I  witnessed  the  whipping  of  two  men  for  petty 
thieving.  The  physical  infliction  was  trifling,  but  the 
moral  degradation  was  truly  pitiable.  The  post  remain- 
ed there  many  j^ears  but  its  name  was  changed  to  sign- 
post.    Public  notices  were  posted  upon  it. 

I  must  not  omit  to  notice  the  two  great  festivals — 
Training  Day  and  Thanksgiving — the  former  deriving 
from  the  still  lingering  spirit  of  the  Revolution  a  de- 
cidedly martial  character.  The  first  Mondays  of  May 
and  September  were  by  statute  training  days,  and  every 
able-bodied  man  of  a  certain  age  was  required  to  appear 
for  inspection  and  drill.  At  10  o'clock  they  assembled 
on  the  "  parade  ground"  which  was  an  open  field  given 
to  the  town  for  this  purpose.  The  commanding  officer 
sent  his  compliments  to  the  minister,  with  a  request 
that  he  would  favor  them  with  his  presence,  which  he 
did,  and  opened  the  exercises  with  prayer.  Soon  after 
they  adjourned  for  dinner.  There  were  two  companies, 
one  uniformed,  called  the  grenadiers,  the  other  the 
militia.     The  music  was  fife  and  drum,  and  when  after 


40 

wondrous  evolutions,  they  marched  down  tlie  ridge  to 
the  meeting-house  hill,  the  martial  ardor  of  the  boys 
was  at  boiling  point.  The  Thanksgivings  were  much 
like  those  of  the  present  day  except  that  the  House  of 
God  was  well-filled,  and  the  Thanksgiving  anthem  fell 
upon  enchanted  ears.  The  public  exercises  began  with 
the  reading  of  the  Governor's  proclamation.  (It  had 
been  read  two  successive  Sundays  before.)  It  was  an 
awe  inspiring  document,  especially  as  it  closed  with  the 
ominous  injunction  :  "  All  servile  laboi'  and  vain  recre- 
ation, are,  on  said  day,  by  law  forbidden.*'  After  the 
service  the  reunited  families  gathered  round  tables 
loaded  with  a  bewildering  multiplicity  of  dishes,  among 
which  roast  turkey  and  pumpkin  pie  held  their  long- 
established  pre-eminence.  There  amid  representatives 
of  three  or  perhaps  four  generations,  this  family  festival 
held  high  carnival.  Long  may  it  keep  its  power  to  re- 
call the  sons  and  daughters  of  New  England  to  the  old 
homesteads. 

While  we  review  our  past  history  and  recollect  what 
we  have  been,  and  what  we  are,  the  duties  of  this  day 
were  but  ill-performed  if  we  stopped  here  ;  if  turning 
from  the  past,  and  entering  on  a  new  century  of  our 
political  existence  we  gave  no  heed  to  the  voice  of  ex- 
perience and  dwelt  not,  with  thougiits  of  earnest  solici- 
tude on  the  future.  Let  us  search  the  history  of  our 
forefathers,  for  those  principles  which  enabled  them  to 


41 

establish  our  prosperity  on  its  present  basis — discerning 
their  errors  as  well  as  their  merits — not  always  doing 
as  they  did,  but  as  we  know  from  their  principles  they 
would  have  us  do,  in  our  circumstances  so  widely  diff- 
ering from  theirs.  Among  the  prominent  features  of 
their  truest  glory  is  that  system  of  public  instruction, 
which  they  instituted  by  law,  and  to  which  New  Eng- 
land owes  more  of  its  character  and  its  prosperity  than 
to  all  other  causes.  If  this  system  be  not  altogether  with- 
out example  in  the  history  of  other  nations,  it  is  still  an 
extraordinary  instance  of  wise  legislation  and  worthy  of 
the  most  profound  statesman  of  any  age,  and  this  was 
done  by  them  when  they  had  just  made  their  first 
lodgement  in  the  wilderness,  when  they  had  scarcely 
found  leisure  to  build  comfortable  homes  for  themselves. 
This  system  has  never  thus  far  been  broken  in  upon. 
Under  its  benign  influence  our  youth  have  grown  up. 
It  has  taught  them  the  first  great  lesson  of  human  im- 
provement, that  knowledge  is  power — and  made  the 
last  great  lesson  of  human  experience  felt,  that  without 
virtue  there  is  neither  happiness  nor  safety.  Never  let 
this  glorious  institution  be  abandoned  or  betrayed 
by  the  weakness  of  its  friends,  or  the  power  of  its  ad- 
versaries. Let  us  cherish  our  history.  It  is  a  great 
and  distinctive  advantage  that  we  have  behind  us  the  be- 
ginning and  growth  of  an  orderly  history.  Let  us  hon- 
or our  fathers'  memory  by  preserving  and  exemplifying 


42 

their  principles.  We  who  are  now  assembled  here 
gathering  up  the  influences  of  this  occasion,  must  soon 
be  numbered  with  the  congregation  of  other  days.  The 
time  of  our  departiu'e  is  at  hand  to  make  way  for  our 
successors  in  the  theatre  of  life.  It  may  be  that  our  pos- 
terity will  assemble  here  to  review  their  past.  Shall  it 
be  amid  joy  or  sorrow  ?  The  answer  is  in  part  left  to 
us.  May  he,  who,  at  the  distance  of  another  centu- 
ry, shall  stand  here  to  celebrate  this  day,  still  look 
around  upon  a  free,  happy  and  virtuous  people  ;  and 
may  the  God  of  our  fathers  give  us  grace  so  to  admin- 
ister the  trust  committed  to  us,  that  our  record  shall 
enable  the  historian  to  rank  us  with  them,  as  having 
been  faithful  to  the  principles  which  they  established. 

[Dr.  St.  John  could  scarcely  have  chosen  more  fitting- 
words  with  which  to  close  his  address,  had  he  known 
that  they  were  to  be  the  last  of  his  public  utterance. 
At  the  request  of  his  townsmen,  he  had  prepared  this 
brief  historical  record  of  his  native  place,  and  although 
the  necessary  work  of  reading  and  searching  authorities 
was  much  greater  than  would  seem  probable,  he  took 
much  pleasure  in  it,  so  keen  was  his  interest  in  every 
thing  concerning  the  subject.  His  reading  of  the  pa- 
per, on  the  Fourth  of  July,  was  his  final  service  to  the 
friends  and  fellow-citizens  with  whom  his  sympathies 
were  so  close,  his  interests  so  united.  But  two  short 
months,  and  the  "time  of  his  departure''  came.  Could 
he  have  spoken  a  farewell  to  the  audience,  which  gave 


43 

him  such  kindly,  sympathetic  hearing  on  that  day,  it 
must  still  have  been  such  words,  as  yet  linger  in  their 
memories,  reminding  them  that  "knowledge  is  pow- 
er ;"  that  "  without  virtue  there  is  neither  safety  nor 
happiness,"  and  that  relying  upon  Divine  help,  they 
should  ever  live  faithful  to  right  principles  and  true 
deeds.] 


APPKNDIX. 


TOWN  CLERKS  OF  NEW  CANAAN. 

Samuel  St.  John,  June  31st,  1801,  continued  to  1824. 

Edward  Nash,  January  1826.     Continued  to  1835. 

Joseph  Sillinian,  April  1835,  1836,  1837,  1838,  1839. 

Samuel  C.  Silliman,  Jr.,  1840, 1841, 1843,  1844, 1845,  1846,  1847, 
1849,  1850,  1851,  1852. 

David  S.  RockweU,  1842. 

John  B.  Lambert,  1848,  resigned  in  Feb.  1849,  and  Samuel  C. 
Silliman,  Jr.,  appointed  in  his  place. 

Lucius  M.  Monroe,  1854,  1855. 

Noah  W.  Hoyt,  1856,  1857,  1858,  1865,  1866,  1867,  1868,  1869, 
1870,  1771,  1872,  resigned  March  4th  1873,  and  S.  Y.  St.  John  ap- 
pointed. 

SeUeck  Y.  St.  John,  1859,  1860,  1861,  1862,  1863,  1864,  1873, 
1874,  1875. 

Augustus  S.  Dann,  1876. 

TOWN  TREASURERS  OF  NEW  CANAAN, 

Samuel  St.  John,  June  1801.     Continued  to  1825. 

Isaac  Richards,  January,  1825. 

Stephen  Hoyt,  Jr.,  1826,  continued  to  1839. 

Charles  Raymond,  1840,  continued  to  1852,  except  the  year  1845. 

Wm.  E.  Raymond,  1845. 

Benjamin  Hoyt,  1853,  continued  to  1875. 

Auofustus  S.  Dann,  1876. 


4(5 

NEW   CANAAN  INCORPORATED   AT  THE   MAY   SESSION 

1801. 

REPRESENTATIVES    TO    THE    GENERAL    ASSEMBLY. 

Oct.  1801,  Joseph  Silliman.  Oct.  1808,  Joseph  Silliman. 

May  1802,        "  "  May  1809,  Samuel  St.  John. 

Oct.    18U2,        "  "  Oct.  1809, 

May  1803,        "  "  May  1 8 1 0,  Joseph  Silliman. 

Oct.  1803,        "  "  Oct.  1810,  Samuel  St.  John. 

May  1804,        "  "  May  1811,      ," 

Oct.   1804,        "  "  Oct.  1811, 

May  1805,   "  "  May  1812, 

Oct.'  1805,   "  "  Oct.  1812, 

May  1806,   "  "  May  1813, 

Oct.  1806,  Isaac  Richards.  Oct.  1813, 

May  1807,   "  "  May  1814, 

Oct.  1807,  ,  "  "  Oct.  1814, 

May  1808,  Joseph  SiUiman. 

A  special  session  was  called  by  the  Governor.  John  Cotton 
Smith,  on  the  4:th  Wednesday  of  January  1815,  to  consider  a  mem- 
orial from  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont  and  Rhode 
Island  to  protect  the  j^etitioners  against  improper  legislation  by 
Congress.     Delegate  to  the  Convention,  Samiiel  St.  John. 

May  1815.  Samuel  St.  John.  May  1817,  Nathan  Seely. 

Oct.  1815,        "  "  Oct.  1817, 

May  1816,        "  "  May  1818, 

Oct  1816.        "  "  Oct.  1818. 

A  Constitutional  Convention  was  held  in  181 8,  which  discontin 
ued  the  October  Session  of  the  General   Assembly.     Delegate  to 
the  Convention,  Nathan  Seelv. 


47 


May  1819,  Isaac  Eicliards. 

1820,  Nathan  Seely. 

1821,  Stephen  Hojt. 

1822,  Samuel  Eaymond. 
1823, 
1821, 
1825, 
1826, 
1827, 
1828, 

1829,  Watts  Comstock. 

1830,  Samuel  Raymond. 
1831, 

1832, 
1833, 

1834,  Edward  Nash. 

1835,  Joseph  SiUimau. 

1836,  Stephen  Hoyt,  Jr. 

1837,  Samuel  Raymond. 

1838,  Watts  Comstock. 
1839, 

1840,  Stephen  Hoyt,  Jr. 

1841,  Samuel  Raymond. 

1842,  No  choice. 

1843,  " 

1844,  " 

1845,  " 

1846,  Hanford  Carter. 
1847, 

Constitution  am3nded  making 

Jan.  1877,  WiUiam  E.  Husted. 


May  1848,  Burhng  D.  Purdy. 

1849,  Timothy  E.  Raymond. 

1850,  Joseph  SiUiman. 

1851,  George  Gearheart. 

1852,  Carlisle  Lockwood. 

1853,  Samuel  K.  Lockwood. 

1854,  Benjamin  N.  Heath. 

1855,  Samuel  K.  Lockwood. 

1856,  Benjamin  Hoyt. 

1857,  Noah  W.  Ho;)'t, 

1858,  " 

1859,  Wm.  E.  Raymond. 

1860,  Benjamin  N.  Heath. 
1861, 

1862,  Benjamin  Hoyt. 

1863,  Ebenezer  J.  Richards. 

1864,  Stephen  H.  Pardee. 

1865,  ApoUos  Comstock. 

1866,  Caleb  S.  Benedict. 

1867,  Charles  Raymond. 

1868,  Ebenezer  J.  Richards. 

1869,  Francis  L.  Aiken, 

1870,  Mark  Staples. 

1871,  " 

1872,  Caleb  S.  Benedict. 

1873,  Bm-hng  D.  Purdy. 

1874,  " 

1875,  Justus  F.  Hoyt. 

1876,  Burhng  D.  Purdy. 
January  Session.  


48 

NEW  CANAAN  POSTMASTERS. 

Post  Office  DEPAR'niENT, 
Appointmexi"  Office, 
Washington,  D.  C.  Jily  5th,  1870. 
iV.   ir  IToiit.  Esq..  P.  M..  Xeic  Canaan,   Ct. 
Sm: 

In  compliance  with  the  request  contained  in  your  note  of  the 
30th  of  June,  I  take  pleasure  in  lui'nishing  you  with  the  date  of  the 
establishment  of  the  Post  Office  at  New  Canaan,  and  also  the  names 
and  date  of  appointment  of  the  several  Postmasters  up  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  to  wit : 

Office  at  New  Canaan,  established  Jan.  lllth  1818. 

Samuel  St.  John,  appointed  Postmaster,   Jan.  19th,  1818. 

Edward  Nash,               "  "  Jan.  2oth,  1825. 

Erastus  Seely,               "  "  Mar.  8th,  1833. 

Thomas  S.   Husted,      "  "  Nov.  23d,  1833. 

Charles  Raymond,        "  "  Mar.  26th,  1839. 

Thomas  S.  Husted,      "  "  July     3d,  1841. 

Charles  Raymond,        "  "  Sept.   4th,  1844. 

Benjamin  Hoyt,            "  "  Dec.  12th,  1849. 

Sam'l  C.  Silliman,  Jr   "  "  June  23d,  1853. 

Henry  B.  Hoyt,            "  "  Sept.    3d,  1853. 

Noah  W.  Hoyt,             "  "  Apr.  26th,  1861. 

Stephen  H.  Pardee,*    "  "  Aug.  24th,  1866. 

Noah  W.  Hoyt,             "  "  Mar.    22d,  1869. 

Noah  AV.  Hoyt,  Re-appointed,  Dec    11th,  1872. 
Who  is  the  present  incumbent. 

The  foregoing  embraces  the  entire  history  of  the  office,  as  found 
on  the  books  of  the  Department,  and  which  is  believed  to  be  cor- 
rect.    I  am  sir,  respectfully.  Your  ob't  serv't, 

ja:mes  h.  marr. 

Acting  First  Ass't.  P.  M.  General. 

•Mr.  Pardee  was  appointed  Postmaster  by  President  Johnson,  but  never 
entered  npon  the  duties  of  the  oflBce. 


49 

LIST  OF   SOLDIERS  WHO  SERVED  IN  THE  WAR  FOR 
THE  UNION. 

FIRST  REGIMENT  HEAVY  ARTILLERY,   C.  V. 

Francis  M.  Jennings,  mustered  out. 

John  Walsh,  mustered  out. 

Alfred  Howard,  deserted. 

Warren  S.  Palmer,  mustered  out. 

Albin  J.  B.  Sims,  mustered  out. 

Patrick  Welch,  deserted,  Augu.st  10th,  18G5. 

SECOND    CONNECTICUT    ARTILLERY, 

John  J.  Abbott,  died  of  wounds. 

Chauncey  E.  Brown,  mustered  out. 

George  W.  Brown,  wounded,  died. 

Enos  S.  Benedict,  wounded. 

Orange  S.  Brown,  wounded,  Feb.  6,  1865. 

Thomas  Milnes,  mustered  out. 

Erastus  Ruscoe,  wounded,  mustered  out. 

Charles  Ruscoe,  mustered  out. 

Frederick  D.  Painter,  killed. 

Samuel  B.  Ferris,  killed. 

WiUiam  B.  Shaw,  mustered  out. 

THIRD  REGIMENT,  C.  V. 

Charles  A.  Seymour. 
Charles  Doulens. 
Edward  D.  Arnold. 
Peter  Bennett. 
John  T.  Fancher. 
Charles  Hunnewell. 
Charles  H.  Harting. 
Enos  Kellogg. 
William  H.  Laire. 
Henry  Marrs. 
WiUiam  H.  Offen. 
George  Sherwood. 
George  J.  Stevens. 


50 


"NVilliam  H.  Seeley, 
"Walter  H.  AVoneil. 
Robert  Wilson. 

FIRST  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 

"Weston  Ferris. 
George  Youngs. 
George  Weed. 

FIFTH  REGniEKT  INFANTRY.  C.  V. 

Lewis  Slauson,  discharged. 
Isaac  Vailein,  re-enlisted  veteran. 
Henry  Heaton.  killed. 

SIXTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Shevelose  Arnold,  mustered  out. 

Andrew  P.  Bai-tow,  discharged. 

John  ^lertins.  mustered  out. 

Joseph  Jones,  died. 

John  Seely,  died. 

Edward  M.  Hariiug,  killed. 

Samuel  Bouton,  mvistered  out. 

^Matthew  !Murphy.  mustered  out. 

Alanson  Monroe,  wounded,  mustered  out. 

John  Wagner,  mustered  out. 

SE^■ENTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

John  H.  Bishop,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 
Robeii;  L.  Keith,  mustered  out. 
Frederick  Reel,  mustered  out. 
Watson  Goodwell,  mustered  oxit. 

EIGHTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

James  Conly,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Robert  N.  Hoy,  mustered  out. 

Herbert  Vivian,  deserted,  substitute. 

Barney  Connor,  transferred  to  V.  S.  N. 

Aaron  G.  Sherwood,  discharged. 

William  M.  Sloan,  discharged. 

Samuel  A.  Weed,  transferred  to  invalid  eorpa 


51 

William  King;,  substitute,  deserted. 

TENTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY.  C.  V. 

Charles  H.  Hardino-,  mustered  out. 

George  W.  Smith,  1st.  Lieut,  resigned. 

Bradley  S.  Keith,  mustered  out. 

Jolin  M.  1  Benedict,  deserted. 

Oliver  L.  Ayres,  discharged,  disablity. 

Frederick  Banzhaf,  discharged,  term  expired. 

John  Barber,  discharged,  term  expired. 

Samuel  R.  Barker,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out, 

James  W.  Benedict,  mustered  out. 

Isaac  Bowe,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Alfred  L.  Brower,  died. 

John  J.  Brown,  discharged, 

Joseph  M.  Brown,  died. 

Eli  Burchard,  died. 

George  W.  Burtis,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

John  Buxton,  discharged. 

John  Darrah,  discharged. 

Edgar  Davis,  term  exj^ired. 

Robert  Dunn,  died. 

John  Hagle,  re-enhsted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Patrick  Hannaberg,  term  expired. 

Charles  L.  James,  discharged. 

Andrew  F.  Jones,  re-enlisted  veteran,  wounded,  mustered  out. 

George  Kellogg,  discharged. 

Alfred  Kellogg,  re-enlisted  veteran,  died  Oct.  1864. 

Sidney  R.  Lounsbuiy,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Albert  M.  Mahoney,  re-enlisted  vet.,  wounded,  mustered  out. 

John  MePherson,  re-enh.sted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

George  Muii^hy,  term  exjjired. 

Bernard  Murphy,  discharged. 

WilUam  H.  Oflfen,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Henry  F.  Pennoyer,  term  expired. 

Samuel  S.  Rubey,  discharged,  Dee.  18,  1861. 

George  Scott,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

John  E.  Seeley,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 


52 


"William  P.  Smallhom,  term  expired. 

Orrin  H.  Stephens,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Marcus  Smith,  discharged. 

Christal  "Wagner,  re-cnUsted  veteran,  died. 

Andrew  "Wakeman,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Charles  "SVeed,  discharged,  Dec.  19,  18G1. 

"Wm.  A.  "Wood,  2d,  captured,  mustered  out. 

Leonard  W.  Fancher,  discharged  1865. 

Isaac  L.  Tucker,  mustered  out. 

Henry  Tucker,  mustered  out. 

Joseph  E.  Wells,  discharged  18G5.  , 

Walter  H.  VVorrell,  mustered  out. 

George  Johnson,  2d,  substitute,  deserted. 

John  Wilson,  substitute,  mustered  out. 

ELEVENTH  REGIMENT.  BECRUTTS. 

Charles  Fisher,  substitute,  mustered  out. 
John  Harris,  substitute,  mustered  out. 
Peter  O'Brien,  wounded,  discharged. 

TWELFTH  REGIMENT. 

Alonzo  p.  Abbott,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out 

George  .Alden, 

James  J.  Everson,         "  "  " 

Joseph  H.  Everett, 

Patrick  Furmen,  discharged,  disability. 

John  Welsh,  re-enhsted  veteran,  mustered  out, 

Patrick  Fitzpatrick,  discharged. 

George  Howard,  substitute  mustered  out. 

THIRTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Apollos  Comstock,  Capt.,  wounded,  mustered  out. 

Wm.  E.  Bradley,  1st.  Lieut.,  honorably  discharged. 

Jonathan  Austin,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Aaron  Benedict,  died. 

John  W.  Brown,  wounded,  discharged  18G5, 

Eli  Dann,  discharged. 

"Wilber  F.  Gilder,  discharged. 


53 

William  W.  Jones,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Edward  A.  Lapman,  discharged. 

Edwin  Monroe,  term  expired. 

William  H.  Monroe,  discharged. 

Charles  Nichols,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

William  H.  Seele}',  discharged. 

Francis  E.  Weed,  re-enlisted  veteran,  mustered  out. 

Israel  Wood,  discharged. 

Linus  Wood,  discharged. 

FOURTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Jean  Paul,  sub.  mustered  July  'Ibth,  deserted  Aug.  14th,  1804. 
John  Stevens,  substitute,  transferred. 
Charles  J.  Hanford,  substitute,  died. 
Andon  Menke,  substitute,  deserted. 

SEVENTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Elias  Buttery,  died. 

James  L.  Dyer,  discharged,  disability. 

G-eorge  F.  Olmsted,  mustered  out. 

Joseph  H.  Lockwood,  mustered  out. 

Andrew  Scofield,  mustered  out. 

Hezekiah  Wood,  mustered  out, 

Patrick  Norton,  mustered  out. 

Sylvester  Albin,  mustered  out. 

Rufus  S.  Benedict,  mustered  out. 

-Tesse  W.  Tucker,  mustered  out. 

Enos  Kellogg,  Capt.  mustered  out. 

J.  Irvmg  Benedict.  1st  Lieut. ^  resigned. 

James  H.  A\Tes,  2d,  Lieut.,  mustered  out. 

Francis  M.  Bliss,  Sergeant,  resigned. 

Isaac  N.  Crissey,  woimded,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps. 

Warren  S.  Palmer,  discharged,  disabihty. 

Samuel  Comstock,  died, 

Peter  Bennett,  discharged,  disability. 

George  J.  Stevens,  mustered  out. 

Levi  St.  John  Weed,  mustered  out. 

Joseph  F.  Seeley,  discharged,  disability. 

Norbei*t  Bossa,  mustered  out. 


54 


Isaac  B.  Brown,  mustered  out. 
Charles^A.  Weed,  died. 

Miles  O.  Jones,  transfered  veteran  reserve  corps. 
James  L.  Hodges,  mustered  out, 
Da-snd  M.  Avery,  wounded,  mustered  out. 
Jolm  Acker,  mustered  out. 
\V illiam  L.  Brown,  discharged,  disability. 
Andrew  B.  Benedict,  mustered  out. 
John  George  Banzliof,  mustered  out. 
Robert  Bishop,  discliarged,  disabihty. 
Loiin  W.  Britto,  mustered  out. 
John  L.  B\-ington,  discharged. 
Le-svis  B .  Benedict,  discharged,  disabihty. 
Frank  Britto,  discharged,  disabihty. 
William  C.  Bell,  mustered  out. 
David  C.  Conistock,  .Ir.,  discharged. 
Andrew  Crabb,  mustered  out. 
Stephen  Comstock,  mustered  out. 
Lyman  W.  Crabb,  mustered  out. 
Levi  Dixon,  discharged,  disability. 
William  H.  DeFoirest,  discharged,  disability, 
Thomas  Driscoll,  discharged,  disability. 
Samuel  E.  DeForrest,  mustered  out. 
Maxim'n  DeFisheur,  discharged,  disability. 
Christian  Faber,  mustered  out. 
Samuel  W.  Fox,  mustered  out. 
John  Greenewald,  mustered  out. 
Augustus  (lanning,  discharged,  disabihiy. 
Samuel  Gray,  mustered  out. 
Oirin  Harrison,  mustered  out. 
John  S.  Haas,  mustered  out. 
WiUiam  Hariung,  died. 
John  Kaiser,  mustered  out. 
Ehphalet  ^lead,  killed. 
Alanson  F.  Monroe,  discharged,  disability. 
Orson  C.  Ogden,  discharged,  disabihty. 
Samuel  S.  Osborn,  discharged,  disability-. 


55 

Christopher  S.  Olmstead,  died. 

Henry  Peatt,  discharged,  disability. 

George  H.  Potts,  discharged,  disability. 

Ebenezer  J.  Pattenden,  mustered  out. 

George  Patterson,  died. 

George  E.  Purdy,  mustered  out. 

Seth  Remington,  mustered  out. 

John  W.  Raymond,  discharged,  disability. 

Arza  Raymond,  mustered  out. 

CyiTis  Raymond,  mustered  out. 

C.  Edward  Raymond,  discharged,  disability. 

Edward  Richards,  died. 

DeWitt  C.  Ruscoe,  mustered  out. 

Lewis  Randle,  died. 

Chauncey  Raymond,  discharged,  disability. 

Floyd  S.  Ruscoe,  mustered  out. 

Justus  M.  SiUiman,  mustered  out. 

Charles  E.  Seely,  mustered  out. 

James  A.  Smallhorn,  mustered  out. 

George  H.  Wood,  died. 

Francis  Weinberg,  mustered  out. 

William  Wilson,  mustered  out. 

Martin  W^assing,  discharged,  disability. 

Squire  A.  Waterbury,  discharged,  disabihty. 

George  E.  Waterbury,  transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

Harry  Waterbury,  mustered  out. 

George  W.  Weed,  mustered  out. 

Charles  L.  Bartow,  mustered  out. 

John  Birdsall,  died. 

Charles  Crofoot,  mustered  out. 

William  S.  Fitch,  mustered  out. 

Patrick  Innis,  mustered  out. 

Charles  Vitenheimer,  mustered  out. 

William  Wright. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Joseph  C.  Cronk,  mustered  out. 


56 


TWENTY-XrNTH    REGIMENT 

Joseph  Thomsou,  mustered  out. 
Joseph  Adams,  mustered  out. 
Daniel  Wakeman,  discharged,  disabihty. 
Nelson  R.  Copes,  mustered  out. 
George  "\V.  Thomson,  mustered  out. 
William  Jeflerson,  mustered  out. 
Perry  Wilhams,  mustered  out. 


SELECTMEN  OF  NEW  CANAAN. 

Isaac  Richards,  June  1801,  (time  of  organization)  to  December 
1801,  continued  to  1810,    1819,  1820.     October,   1821,  1822. 

Joseph  Seely,  June  1801.     December  1801,  continued  to  1804. 

Isaac  Benedict,  December  1805,  continued  to  1813,  except  1811, 
re-elected  1812  and  continued  to  1817. 

Jesse  Richards,  December  1805,  continued  to  1807. 

Enos  Weed.  1808,  continued  to  1811. 

Nathan  Seely,  1811. 

Samuel  Boult.  1811. 

David  Stevens,  1812,  continued  to  181G. 

James  T.  Ells,  1814. 

Jonathan  B.  Benedict,  1815,  1816,  1810,  1820.  October  1821, 
continued  to  182(5,  1882,  1833,  1834. 

Aaron  Comstock,  1817, 1818. 

Ebenezer  Hanford,  1817,  1818. 

Ebenezer  Crofut,  1817,  1818. 

Stephen  Hoyi,  1819,  1820,  October  1821  continued  to  1831. 

Seth  Weed,  1823,  continued  to  1831. 

Eliphalet  St.  John,  1820. 

Holly  Hanford,  1827,  continued  to  1832. 

Joseph  SiUiman,  1832. 

Hezekiah  St.  John,  1833,  continued  to  1839. 

Hanford  Davenj^oi-t.  1833,  1834. 


57 

Watts  Comstock,  1835,  continued  to  1843,  1845,  1848. 
Hauford  ^Carter,  1835,  continued  to  1841,  1843,  1844,  1846,  to 
1848. 

Daniel  Bostwick,  1840,  continued  to  1842. 

Samuel  Hoyt,  1842. 

John  Raymond,  1843,  1844. 

James  Pattison,  1844. 

Hezrou  L.  Ayres,  1845,  1846. 

Charles  Raymond,  1845,  1847,  1857,  1858. 

Alfred  Raymond,  1846,  1852,  1853,  1854,  1855. 

Caleb  S.  Benedict,  1847. 

Andrew  Benedict,  1848,  continued  to  1852. 

Thomas  Raymond,  1849. 

Uzal  Husted,  1849. 

Sylvanus  Seely,.1850. 

John  Warren,  1850. 

Burling  D.  Purdy,  1851,  1871,  1872,  1874,  1875,  1876. 

Stephen  Hoyt,  1851. 

Peter  Smith,  1852,  contimied  to  1860. 

William  L.  Waring,  1853,  continued  to  1876. 

Samuel  C.  Silliman,  Jr.,  1856. 

Nehemiah  E.Weed,  1859,  continued  to  1863. 

David  B.  Hoyt,  1861. 

George  Lockwood,  1862. 

Ira  P.  Davis,  1863. 

Benjamin  Hoyt,  1864,  continued  to  1870. 

Andrew  K.  Comstock,  1864,  continued  1867. 

Samuel  K.  Lockwood,  1868,  continued  to  1875. 

Joseph  F.  SiUiman,  1873. 

Thomas  M.  Faii-tv.  1876. 


OBITUARY. 


In  accordance  with  the  wish  of  some  of  the  citizens  of  New  Ca- 
naan, an  editorial,  from  the  Stamford  Advocate,  embodying  the 
formal  expression  of  the  public  sentiment  in  regard  to  the  death  of 
Prof.  St.  John,  resolutions  adopted,  etc.,  has  been  included  in  this 
pamphlet : 

NEW  CANAAN'S  IRREPAKABLE  LOSS. 

DEATH    OF    ONE    OF     HER    FOREMOST    CITIZENS    AND    BEST    BELOVED     SONS — 

PROF.    SAMUEL    ST.    JOHN     NO     MORE PEACEFUL    END    OF    A    NOBLE   AND 

BEAUTIFUL    LIFE PUBLIC    DEMONSTATIONS    OF    RESPECT    AND    SORROW. 

Verv  rarely  does  the  loss  of  a  citizen  occasion  such  a  deep  and 
heartful  sorrow— such  a  wide-spread  and  universal  sense  of  be- 
reavement in  any  community  as  the  death  of  Prof.  Samuel  St.  John 
does  in  the  town  of  New  Canaan.  It  is  another  proof  that  real 
goodness— real  nobiUty  of  character— will  compel  a  recognition  in 
every  class  of  society,  and  when  such  a  man  is  taken  away  there  is 
no  exception  to  the  general  sorrow,  and  the  humble,  the  proud,  the 
poor,  the  rich,  the  vulgar,  the  refined,  the  reckless  and  the  thought- 
ful—all unite,  for  a  time  at  least,  in  one  common  bond  of  mutual 
grief.  WeU  is  it  for  those  on  whom  the  lesson  makes  a  permanent 
impression— who  are  able  to  grasp  the  full  meaning  of  such  a  life, 
and  who  resolve  to  make  it  a  model  for  their  own.  Dr.  St.  John 
was  loved  in  New  Canaan  as  few  men  are  loved  in  any  community. 
Born  a  native  of  the  village,  he  ever  regarded  New  Canaan  as  his 
home  no  matter  how  far  away  circumstances  led  him  in  the  active 
labors  of  his  life.  New  Canaan  was  the  scene  of  his  childish  and 
youthful  memories,  and  in  his  riper  years,  when  circumstances  per- 
mitted, New  Canaan  was  his  chosen  and  permanent  home.  He 
was  known  and  beloved  by  everybody  in  the  town,  young  and  old 
ahke.  He  was  a  warm  friend  of  every  project  having  for  its  object 
the  good  of  the  town,  and  devoted  his  time,  talents  and  means  to 
promote  its  interests.     He  was  a  true  patriot,  loving  his  country 


60 

and  her  institutions  with  all  loyal  afiection,  but  his  scholarly  and 
philosoi)hical  mind — his  broad  intellectual  culture,  "  rich  ^^'ith  the 
spoils  of  time,"  and  with  the  results  of  his  own  keen  obsei*vation 
and  orij:;inal  research  in  the  domain  of  science  and  learning — 
made  him  more  than  wilhng  to  keep  aloof  from  active  connection 
with  the  management  of  pai-tizan  stmggles. 

We  cannot,  however,  here  and  now  give  anything  like  a  compre- 
hensive analysis,  or  pay  an  adequate  tribute  to  the  character  of  one 
who  for  his  profound  learning,  useful  life  labors,  and  noble  exam- 
ple of  unseltishness  and  integiity  was  an  honor,  not  only  to  New 
Canaan  but  to  the  state  of  Connecticut,  which  has  lost  many  better 
kno^vn  citizens  in  the  last  ten  years,  but  none  of  more  solid  attain- 
ments or  more  real  worth.  We  must  jjroceed  to  give  a  brief 
sketch  of  his  history  fi-om  the  too  scanty  data  we  have  been  able  to 
obtain.  Samuel  St.  John  was  born  in  New  Canaan,  ]March  29, 
1813,  and  was  therefore  in  his  68d  year  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  graduated  at  Yale  college  in  the  class  of  1834.  In  1838  he  ac- 
cepted an  appointment  as  Professor  of  Chemistry,  Minerology  and 
Geology  in  the  "Western  Resel'^•e  college,  at  Hudson,  Ohio,  in  which 
office  he  remained  until  1851.  He  was  Princii:»al  of  the  Cleveland 
Seminary  for  young  ladies,  fi-orn  1852  till  185(5,  and  dm'ing  this 
time  was  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Medical  Jurispiaidence  in  the 
Cleveland  Medical  College.  In  185{)  he  was  ajipointed  Professor 
of  Chemistry  and  Medical  Jurisprudence  in  the  college  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons  in  New  York  city.  This  position  he  held  until 
his  death.  "When  appointed  to  the  New  York  college  he  made  his 
home  in  his  native  \Tillage,  and  continued  to  take  an  active  interest 
in  all  enterprises  undertaken  for  the  benefit  of  the  place.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  and  best  friends  of  the  New  Canaan  raih-oad.  He 
became  president  of  the  company,  and  to  him  is  gi'eatly  due  the 
success  of  the  entei'prise.  One  of  his  last  conspicuous  pubhc  ser- 
vices was  the  writing  of  a  "Histoiy  of  New  Canaan,"  which  he  read 
at  the  celebration  of  the  centennial  Fourth  of  July,  and  which,  when 
printed,  will  be  an  endumig  memorial  of  his  interest  in  New 
Canaan  and  its  people  as  well  as  of  his  literary  skill.  In  1835,  Dr. 
St.  John  visited  Europe  in  company  with  Dr.  Parker.  He  went  to 
Eiirope  a  second  time,  and  once  more,  in  1873,  visited  the  Vienna 


61 

Exposition  in  company  with  his  son  and  daughter.  His  last  sick- 
ness began  about  three  weeks  ago,  and  was  the  cvilmination  of  a 
kidney  disease  which  had  long  troubled  him.  His  death  took 
place  at  half  past  six  o'clock,  on  Saturday  morning,  September  9th. 

PUBLIC    DEMONSTRATIONS   OF    SORROW — THE    FUNERAX. 

As  soon  as  the  death  was  announced  to  the  public  the  flags  in  the 
village  were  placed  at  half-mast.  The  locomotive  and  cars  of  the 
New  Canaan  railroad  were  draj)ed  in  mourning.  A  pubhc  meet- 
ing was  called  on  Monday  morning  in  the  Congregational  chm-ch, 
to  give  some  formal  expression  to  the  2:)ublic  sentiment.  Mr.  N. 
W.  Hoyt  was  chairman,  and  Hon.  W.  E.  Kaymond,  secretary. 
On  motion  of  VViUard  Parker,  Jr.,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
draft  resolutions  suitable  to  the  occasion.  This  committee  consis- 
ted of  Messrs.  WiUard  Parker,  Seymour  Comstock,  D.  S.  Rockwell, 
W.  L.  Waring  and  Rev.  Joseph  Greenleaf.  Dr.  Willard  Parker 
addressed  the  meeting,  giving  a  succinct  history  of  his  acquain- 
tance with  the  deceased,  and  paying  a  just  tribute  to  his  memory. 
In  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  said  .  "I  don't  say  I  have  never 
seen  a  greater  man  in  the  jirofession,  but  taking  him  all  and  aU  I 
have  never  known  a  greater  and  better  man  than  Samuel  St.  John." 
The  committee  reported  the  following  resolutions,  which  were 
adopted  unanimously: 

Whereai<,  We  have  learned  with  sincere  sorrow  of  the  death  of 
our  late  citizen.  Professor  Samuel  St.  John  ;  and 

Whereai^,  In  all  that  related  to  the  welfare  of  this  town  he  was 
ever  a  zealous  co-worker,  giving  liberally  not  only  of  his  means, 
but  of  the  best  labors  of  his  life  ;  and 

WhereciK,  From  his  readiness  to  impart  to  others  of  his  unusual- 
ly extensive  and  varied  store  of  scientific  knowledge,  he  has  done 
much  to  elevate  the  standard  of  education  among  us  ;  and 

Whereas,  From  his  high  sense  of  right,  active  benevolence,  and 
strict  regard  for  all  that  was  honorable,  he  has  set  an  example  of 
Christian  living  well  worth  imitation  ;  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  in  his  death  this  town  has  lost  a  devoted  and 
honored  citizen. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  tribute  to  his  memor}-,  we  recommend  that 
the  various  places  of  business  be  closed  at  the  hour  of  his  funeral 
and  that  the  bells  of  the  churches  be  tolled. 


62 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  the  family, 
and  published  in  the  STA>rFORD  Advocate  and  Xokwalk  Gazette,  and 
also  that  the  Town  Clerk  be  requested  to  place  a  copy  of  them 
among  the  records  of  the  town. 

W1L1.ARD  Parker,  Jk.,  Chairman. 
Seymour  Co:\istock,  | 

D.   S.  KOCKWELL,  I    /-.  i. 

T       r^  -  Committee. 

Jos.  CtREENLEAF,  ] 

Wm.  L.  Waking.       J 

In  seconding  the  resolutions  Mr.  O.  E.  Bright  made  a  brief  ad- 
dress which  was  recognized  as  both  timely  and  touching  by  all 
present.     His  remarks  were  substantially  as  follows  : 

Mr.  Chairman  : — I  could  not  add  am-thing  to  Dr.  Parker's  touch- 
ing tribute  ;  but  my  intercuui'se  with  Dr.  St.  John  during  the  past 
four  years,  and  the  testimony  which  I  have  heard  from  those  who 
have  always  known  him.  lead  me,  with  your  permission,  to  say  a 
few  words. 

The  people  of  New  Canaan  could  not  fail  to  take  special  notice 
of  the  death  of  Dr.  St.  John,  for  they  have  lost  not  only  a  valued 
and  respected  neighbor,  but  a  citizen  who  Avas  an  ornament  alike 
to  his  profession,  and  to  the  state,  and  to  society. 

He  was  distinguished  as  a  physician  and  he  excelled  in  science, 
and  our  pride  in  him  for  these  things  would  prompt  us  to  com- 
memorate his  life.  But  I  take  it  that  the  sense  of  a  great  loss, 
which  pervades  the  community,  springs  principally  trom  our  ap- 
preciation of  his  character.  It  is  his  persontil  qualities,  developed 
and  exliibited  in  his  life  here,  that  we  now  recall,  and  that  we  shall 
ever  regard  as  our  peculiar  treasure. 

AYhen  we  recognize  integTity  we  consciously  regard  its  possessor 
with  very  high  respect.  But  when  we  speak  of  Dr.  St.  John's  in- 
tegrity, we  think  of  it  as  one  of  the  strong  traits  of  his  nature  that 
must  have  commenced  its  development  with  his  earliest  intelli- 
gence, and  that  grew  with  his  intellectual  strength  through  all  the 
yeai"s  of  his  life,  and  gave  direction  and  tone  to  eveiT  action.  He 
exhibited  at  idl  times  the  humihty  of  tme  moral  greatness,  and  yet 
we  could  obsene  in  him  a  noble  pride  springing  from  the  habitual 
integrity  of  his  purposes. 

\V  ho  is  there  in  this  community  that  has  not  at  some  time  been 
benetitted  and  guided  by  his  wise  and  gentle  counsel  V  In  personal 
matters,  in  social  aftau's,  in  pubhc  measvu-es,  his  inliuence  was  al- 
ways beneficent  and  strong. 

He  was  remarkable  as  a  teacher.  By  patient  and  clear  exposi- 
tion and  illustration  he  imparted  knowledge  to  his  fellow  men. 
He  unfolded  the  wonders  of  astronomy  and  the  secrets  of  chemis- 


63 

try  ;  and  what  is  best  of  all,  he  helped  to  make  the  great  truths  of 
science  serviceable  to  men  in  theii*  daily  avocations.  "We  cannot 
overestimate  the  value — the  greatness  of  the  office  of  a  teacher. 
This  was  part  of  the  mission  of  the  Divine  Master  in  His  days  up- 
on earth,  and  how  reverently  men  speak  of  Him  as  the  Great 
Teacher. 

Dr.  St.  John  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  and  history  of 
New  Canaan,  and  when  a  social  or  a  family  occasion,  or  a  public 
commemoration,  needed  the  pen  and  the  voice  of  a  gTaceful  histori- 
an. Dr.  St.  John  came  to  every  one's  thought.  And  how  clear  and 
just  was  his  narrative,  and  how  beautiful  and  tender  were  his  remi- 
nisences. 

In  every  relation  his  influence  was  for  good.  The  constant  im- 
pulses of  his  nature  were  towax'ds  truth  and  \*irtue  and  culture, 
and  we  all  felt,  and  will  gratefully  remember,  that  he  was  in  the 
highest  and  best  sense  of  the  term  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman. 

It  is  impossible  to  contemplate  his  death  without  sadness.  He 
has  been  removed  from  a  wide  sphere  of  usefulness,  and  family  ties 
of  singular  strength  and  tenderness  have  been  broken.  But  with 
this  painful  reflection  comes  the  thought  of  the  endless  joys  in  the 
future  life  of  which  his  truth  and  his  purity  and  his  faith  were  the 
sure  pledge. 

Let  us  remember,  too,  how  precious  in  all  the  future  history  of 
New  Canaan  will  be  the  memory  of  his  life  and  example — the  mem- 
ory of  a  life  spent  in  the  sincere  discharge  of  duty  to  God  and  to 
men . 

The  funeral  services  took  place  in  St.  Mark's  Episcopal  church, 
(of  which  deceased  was  a  member  and  Warden  of  the  Vestry,)  on 
Monday,  and  brought  out  the  largest  attendance  ever  known  at  a 
funeral  in  New  Canaan.  The  services  were  conducted  by  the  rec- 
tor, Kev.  Mr.  HaUam,  assisted  by  Rev.  Chas.  Selleck,  of  Norwalk, 
and  a  young  minister  from  the  city.  During  the  ceremony  the 
stores  and  factories  in  the  \Tllage  were  closed  and  business  entire- 
ly suspended.  The  church  was  beautifully  and  elaborately  draped 
with  appropriate  emblems.  The  employees  of  the  raih'oad  sent  a 
broken  column  made  of  flowers,  and  the  members  of  Mr.  St.  John's 
Sunday  school  class  contributed  a  beautiful  wreath  surrounding 
the  motto  :  "Our  Teacher."  The  list  of  pallbearers  was  as  follows  : 
Dr.  Parker,  S.  Y.  St.  John,  N.  W.  Hoyt,  A.  K.  Comstock,  Stephen 
Hoji;,  W.  G.  Webb,  A.  S.  Comstock,  F.  E.  Chichester,  S.  E.  Keeler, 
A.  F.  Jones,  B.  D.  Purdy  and  F.  E.  Weed. 


64 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  St .  Mark's  Church,  held  Sept.  DO, 
1870,  the  following  i-esolutions  were  unamimously  adopted  : 

liesolcrd,  That  we,  the  Kector,  Warden  and  Vestry  of  St.  Mark's 
Chiu-ch,  having  heard  with  profound  sorrow  of  tlie  death  of  Prof. 
Samuel  St.  John  of  this  jilace,  on  tlie  9th  of  Sept.  ISTO,  and  having 
united  in  the  public  demonstrations  of  respect  to  his  memory,  avail 
ourselves  of  the  first  convenient  opportunity  to  express  our  recog- 
nition of  the  great  loss  to  this  church,  of  which  he  was  a  member 
and  Junior  Warden,  and  to  whose  interest  he  was  zealously  devo- 
ted, and  while  we  can  no  more  have  his  presence  in  the  house  of 
prayer,  or  nis  counsel  in  business  meetings,  we  have  in  his  faithfvd 
discharge  of  his  christian  and  official  duties,  an  example  worthy  of 
imitation. 

The  clerk  is  requested  to  send  a  copy  of  this  resolution  to  the 
members  of  his  family,  with  the  assvu'ance  of  oiu"  deep  sympathy 
with  them  in  theu*  bereavement. 

Resolved,  That  the  Clerk  of  this  boai-d  and  the  Clerk  of  the  Par- 
ish be  requested  to  enter  the  foregoing  upon  their  respective  re- 
cords. 

A  true  copy  as  appears  of  record, 

NOAH  W.  HOYT,  Clerk. 


